


If I Loved You

by Elri



Category: DC Cinematic Universe, Wonder Woman (2017), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Broadway, Fluff, M/M, alternate universe - broadway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-02-23 10:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13188390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri
Summary: Sameer is a former Broadway star turned choreographer. When he finds himself in need of an accompanist, Steve may have just the right man for him.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I know nothing about the inner workings of Broadway so there probably will be inaccuracies.
> 
> Special Thanks to [Oopsabird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopsabird/pseuds/oopsabird) for being my editor throughout this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sami has a problem, Steve might have a solution

Sami was…well he was in a bit of a mood. His accompanist had just quit to take a job in the pit and while Sami was proud of her it still left him in a bit of a bind. There were three shows that needed their lead numbers choreographed and taught to the stars and Sami was left with a little electronic device that couldn’t take instruction.

"Je jure sur le Seigneur miséricordieux ci-dessus que je vais tuer tout le monde que vous aimez. ” He glared down at the iPod on its speaker dock.

“That’s a little harsh isn’t it?”

Sami turned to see Steve in the doorway of the studio, barely concealing a smile.

“You would not think so if you were dealing with half of the difficulties I am.”

“Maybe. Come on, why don’t you tell me about it over lunch.”

“And where have you selected for us to eat today?” Sami asked as he grabbed his jacket, hat, and scarf.

“This little hole in the wall place,” Steve said

“ **You’ll love it**.” Sami finished with him, having heard it before. It was usually true, minus a few that wouldn’t know a decent cup of tea if it was dropped in their lap. Steve never minded because he only ever drank plain black coffee like a heathen. Sometimes Sami swore he did it just to be annoying.

They headed out and walked the gridiron until they made it to a little café/deli where they made decent tea and delicious sandwiches.

“So why were you threatening to kill the loved ones of an iPod dock?” Steve asked once they’d settled in.

Sami sighed, “Alas, I have lost another accompanist to better pastures.”

“Why don’t you just hire a full-time person to work for your studio?”

“I have tried, but it’s impossible to find a decent accompanist who’s looking to only work for a studio. The people I’ve met are either poor players or just looking for a job between jobs.”

“I’m beginning to see your problem.”

“And I cannot use recordings because it is nearly impossible to rewind to the exact moment I want and it wastes time. Besides, I cannot change the tempo in order to show the steps more deliberately.”

“So what you’re saying is you need a skilled pianist, with no higher aspirations, who’s willing to work a decently paying job, with a former Broadway star as a boss and some of the most stress-filled and stressful people in the world as clients.”

Something in the way Steve summed it all up made Sami…not suspicious but he definitely noticed a shift in tone, “Why do I get the feeling you happen to have somebody in mind.”

“I just might. Tell you what, I’ll send him over to the studio tomorrow morning and you can give him a trial run. If it doesn’t work out, don’t hire him. But I have a feeling it’s going to be the start of a beautiful friendship.”

“ لا أعتقد فقط لأنك اقتبس الدار البيضاء أنا سوف تكون متأثرا بك، رجل ماكرة."

“That’s the spirit, Sami.”

Food eaten and check paid, they headed back out onto the streets of New York. Steve walked with Sami back to the studio, leaving him with the promise of a new accompanist in the morning. On the one hand, Sami wanted to just write it off as Steve being a bit full of himself, on the other he did have a certain knack for people. It was a little unnerving at times. Sami still wasn’t sure what exactly it was that Steve did for a living but he wouldn’t have been surprised to find out Steve was some kind of CIA operative. The idea made him smile and shake his head as he hung up his jacket in the studio.

“Come on Sameer, you’re being ridiculous.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French translation: I swear on the merciful Lord above that I will kill everyone you love.
> 
> Arabic Translation: Don't think just because you quote Casablanca I'll be swayed by you, crafty man.


	2. Hello Broadway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Charlie met Sami

“Um, hallo? Are you Sameer Nejem?”

Sami turned around to see a man about his height with reddish hair that fit well with his Scottish accent. It stuck straight up from his head, making him look taller. He stood in the doorway of the studio, uncertain and stiff. His moustache twitched a little as he waited for a response. There didn't seem to be anything unusual about him except the fact that Sami wasn't expecting him.

“Who are you?”

“Charlie Baird, Steve Trevor sent me.”

“Ah, the pianist. Please, come in.” Sami stayed by the piano on the other end of the studio and watched this Charlie Baird fellow as he crossed over. It was a bit of a power move but Sami wanted to test the man’s character. He often did the same thing with performers who had been labelled “difficult,” making them come to him so they knew who was in charge. Charlie was not like them, that much Sami noticed right away. He listened immediately, something in his body language relieved at having been given a direction. The shoes he wore were sturdy, echoing in the open studio, keeping an even time as Charlie walked…marched over to Sami. Not marching like angry customers who demand to see a manager, marching like

“A soldier.”

Charlie stopped short a few feet away, blinking in surprise, “What?”

“You’re a soldier.”

“Well…yeah. I mean I used to be, I’m not anymore. Didn’t Steve tell you?”

“He didn’t even tell me your name.”

“Ah…that’s not going to be a problem, is it? The soldier thing I mean.”

“What did Steve tell you about the job?”

“Decent wages, regular hours, irregular clients.”

“I would say that about sums it up. And do you think you are up for it?”

Charlie smiled a little bit, “You never met my drill sergeant.”

“And _you’ve_ never met a young Broadway wannabe who is convinced that they’re the next up-and-coming star.”

“Aye, I’ll give ye that.”

“You can play?”

“I can.” Charlie confirmed.

“Then I don’t think ‘the soldier thing’ will be a problem. I have a proposal: one-month trial run, guaranteed pay. If it doesn’t work out for any reason, then you can leave at any time.”

“That’s…a very generous and unusual offer.”

“Broadway is an unusual place. So, what do you think?”

“I think I’d be a fool to say no.”

“Well then, welcome to my studio. A pleasure to meet you, Charlie Baird.”

“Likewise, Mr. Nejem.” As Charlie shook his hand, they smiled amiably at each other. So far, it seemed like everything was going to work out fine. 

“Please, call me Sami. Mr. Nejem is for the clients. Please, hang your things on the rack and we can get started.”

As Charlie put his jacket and scarf on the rack next to the piano, where Sami put his own things, Sami pulled out the music sheets from the folder on top of the piano. Most of them were choreographed, it was now a matter of teaching the routines to his clients. First, however, he needed to make sure Charlie could play them all.

“These are all the pieces I’m currently working on. I don’t plan on taking anymore clients for the moment so there won’t be any new ones for a while.”

Charlie started setting up the papers on stand, spreading out each song so he could look at them. “Are these all from the same show?”

“Non, I’m currently working on five solos or duets from three different productions.”

“That doesn’t seem like a lot.”

“There are several ensemble numbers in these shows, which I don’t work on. Sometimes the performers I am choreographing for are in front of an ensemble, in which case I will have footage for the larger number to work on the main performance, but that is very rare.”

“Do most choreographers only work on parts of the show?”

“I am not most choreographers, my friend.”

“Well then, let’s crack on with it.”

Charlie was a quick learner, picking up the pieces fairly well by the afternoon. Sami selected one of the pieces and started going over his steps for one of the duet pieces, getting caught up in moving across the floor. This one of his favorite pieces that he’d done, the way he was able to glide like he was ice dancing. The piece didn’t usually have a dance with it but this director, an old friend of Sami’s had decided it needed something extra to give a stronger emotional impact. Personally Sami thought that was a little cruel to the audience but she’d practically dared him to make it as bittersweet as possible and Sami refused to back down from a challenge. As the song ended and Sami came out of his focused state, he turned and saw Charlie watching him.

“You play well.”

Charlie started a bit, clearly not expecting the compliment, or the warmer tone with which it was said, “You dance well.” A bit of red started creeping up his ears right after he said it, Sami smiled.

“Tomorrow we start working with the performers, our leading man will be coming in first to learn the lead, then our leading lady will come in in the afternoon to learn how to follow him. Are you comforable with the music?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Charlie looked at the sheets and shifted a few of them around, “ah, would it alright if I brought the music home so I can keep learning the other pieces?”

“Of course. Here,” Sami opened his folder on top of the piano, “these are duplicate sheets, feel free to mark them up as you wish.”

“Brilliant, thank you,” Charlie took the sheets, “do you want to go over the same piece again?”

“Oui, pick it up from the first chorus s’il vous plait.”

“Aye.”

They rehearsed that piece and the other from the same show, stopping and starting and restarting as Sami perfected his steps, going forwards and backwards. It would be easier if he had a partner to rehearse with but he never did things the easy way if he could help it. He knew he looked ridiculous, dancing around by himself, and some accompanists had needed to keep their eyes on the piano so they wouldn’t laugh. Anytime Sami caught a glimpse of Charlie looking, however, he never looked like he was about to crack up. If anything, he seemed fascinated. The fact that he was able to keep playing without looking was another point in his favor.

Eventually. they reached the end of the day. Sami took a long drink from his water bottle and wiped his face with his towel. He hadn’t planned on working so hard today and was wearing a button-up and pants which meant he’d sweated more than usual. Tomorrow he would be in workout friendly clothes but for now he desperately wanted to get home and take off his layers.

Sami stretched his arms out a little, loosening up, “Alright, time to call it a day. I think that was a very productive start.”

“What time should I be here tomorrow?”

“The actor will be here at 8 so by 7:30 at the latest. I should be here but if for some reason I am not,” Sami pulled one of his cards out of the folder and wrote his personal numbers on the back, “Here are the best ways to reach me.”

“Right, brilliant, thanks, so I’ll see you tomorrow then boss?”

“See you tomorrow, Charlie.”


	3. I Am Going To Like It Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie's first real day, what will he make of it?

Charlie arrived at 7:15 the next day, thermos in hand filled with plain black coffee. He would have preferred to have tea but there hadn’t been enough time to brew it properly. It had been a while since he’d actually had a morning routine and there would be an adjustment period, so for now he would tolerate the coffee. The door to the studio was unlocked and sure enough, Sami was standing by the piano, same as the day before, holding a thermos of his own. This time, however, he was dressed very differently. The trousers and button-up shirt had been replaced by black leggings and a black tank top. And it was all tight, which meant Charlie could see the muscles that had been hinted at by strength Sami had shown while dancing. It was going to be a long day. He took a swig of his coffee and walked in.

“Morning, boss.”

Sami looked over and smiled, “Good morning, Charlie. Ready for your first full day of work?”

“Aye, time to deal with some of those ‘irregular clients’ I was warned about?”

“I don’t know yet; I haven’t worked with these performers before but the director has assured me they will be no trouble.”

“So you don’t just get the difficult ones then?”

“It depends. Sometimes I have difficult clients, sometimes I have difficult pieces, sometimes I even have both; but if there was never a challenge then how would I feel truly accomplished?”

“Fair enough. Have you ever had to give up on a project?”

“I haven’t yet,” Sami rapped on the piano with his knuckles, “but anyone who goes into this thinking it will be easy soon finds themselves either out of a job or in over their head.”

“This being choreography or…”

“Broadway. After all, there’s no business like show business.”

“Cheers to that,” Charlie held out his thermos and Sami tapped it in a small toast.

“By the way, I forgot to mention that we will be doing warm-ups and stretches for the first few minutes of the lesson. I may require some musical accompaniment to keep time but otherwise you have a bit of free time. In the future feel free to bring a book or something else to keep you occupied.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. For now, I think I should warm up myself.” Charlie made a show of lacing his fingers together, stretching his arms out, and flexing his fingers. With all the serious airs of a man about to perform Mozart or Beethoven, he played Chopsticks, finishing with exaggerated flair. He looked up at Sami who applauded with an equally serious expression. Charlie stood and bowed, turning to the imaginary audience and bowing to them as well. If he looked over again, Charlie was sure he’d break character, so instead he resumed his seat, putting his fingers over the keys to play Hot Cross Buns. Before he could though, Charlie dared a glance at Sami, and saw that he was looking away, hiding his smile behind his hand as his shoulders shook with barely contained laughter.

“Somethin’ funny there, boss?”

Sami snorted, setting off Charlie, before cracking up himself. “Do most pianists have such rigorous warm-up routines?” He asked once he had calmed down a bit.

“I’m not most pianists mate.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

From down the stairs they heard the door open and a voice call out, “Mr. Nejem?”

“Come up!” Sami called back. “There’s our client. Time to get to work.” He clapped Charlie on the shoulder lightly before turning to greet the young man coming up the stairs.

Charlie provided light musical accompaniment while they warmed up, then did some warm-ups of his own when they started stretching. It had been a while since he’d played anything, let alone played multiple pieces regularly. He’d pulled out his old electronic keyboard the previous night, a gift from some of the men he’d served with, and started going over the songs. There was a bit of an ache in his palms but he did his hand stretches and kept them wrapped around his still warm thermos when he wasn’t playing.

Once Sami determined that they were ready to start, Charlie tried to keep his attention on what he was playing. It wasn’t easy though, he’d already seen that Sami was a skilled dancer but now seeing the piece come together as it was intended to be, it was breathtaking. The actor was lead through the steps first, to show him what his partner would be going through, then Sami began showing him how to lead. Sections were repeated, slowed down, sometimes even revised on the spot.

It didn’t stop when the actress arrived either, Sami would show one of them a step, watch them do it, change it around, and repeat. Sometimes he would trade places with one of them to try and work out the new step. At one point while Sami was dancing with the actress, Charlie and the actor caught each other’s eye and exchanged a look that said, “I’m not the only one seeing this right?” She was a natural, and the two of them together moved beautifully.

The day came to an end, the performers took their leave and it was just Sami and Charlie in the studio. Charlie looked up as he was putting the music back in order, noticing that Sami’s hair had barely moved from its slicked back style.

“How’d you do that?” He gestured at his own hair and then Sami’s when he got a confused look.

“Ah, the hair? It is an old Broadway secret,” Sami reached into his bag in the corner and pulled out a small plastic jar that he placed on the piano, “Et voila.”

“Pomade?”

“Not just any pomade, specially made for the stage, ethically conscious pomade. All organic materials, never tested on animals, works on any hair, and it can stand up against even the most rigorous routines. And believe me, I have put it to the test multiple times.”

“I don’t doubt that you have. So is this some great Broadway secret that I have to swear on the graves of my ancestors I will never reveal?”

“But of course; you have become part of the inner workings of the greatest entertainment industry in the world, and as such you have entered a social contract that has been taken up by countless others across the decades. Whether you realize it or not, you have taken an oath of silence to never reveal the magic of the stage. To break this oath could come at a cost that few can afford to pay.”

Charlie gave Sami a slow, sarcastic round of applause, “Is everyone on Broadway as dramatic as you?”

“If they were, I would have only been but one star among the masses.”

“Isn’t that how stars work?”

“Perhaps up there, but not down here. Broadway has its own rules.”

“So I’m learning. Are we going to be working on the same pieces tomorrow?”

“Oui, this is our show for the week. Next week we will move on.”

“They have to learn all that in a week?”

“Compared to everything else they will have to learn, this is nothing. If they cannot learn two dances, they have a hard road ahead. Besides, people do it on those competitive dancing shows all the time, and they are not professionals.”

“Well, more power to them. I’ll see you tomorrow then boss. Good night.”

“Good night, Charlie.”


	4. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Sami share a meal and some parts of their pasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick notice, Charlie was never an alcoholic in this universe, there will be a little more on that in a later chapter

They’d been working together for about a week and a half when it happened, the client had to cancel. It was an emergency, she was very apologetic, Sami knew her well enough to take her at her word and wished her better luck. Suddenly they found themselves with an entire day to themselves.

“Well,” Sami clapped his hands together, “I say we go make the most of this unexpected development. Are you hungry?”

“I could do with a bite, what did you have in mind?”

“I know the best place to get a decently priced brunch this side of Manhattan. Let me change real quick and we can go.”

“Y’know I’ve never quite understood the appeal of brunch,” Charlie said after Sami returned as they started putting on their jackets, “It just feels like kind of a pointless meal, why not just have breakfast and lunch?”

“Because if you only have breakfast and lunch you can’t sleep in and have a drink with your first meal of the day.”

“You make an excellent point. However, I would like to counter with one meal that is better than that.”

“And what is that?”

“Breakfast for dinner.”

Sami groaned, “Good lord the Americans have corrupted you.”

“Alright, alright, hear me out, it’s the same food basically so you’ve got the same comfort there, but you’re not hungry in the middle of the afternoon. And, it’s the end of the day, so you can still drink if you want to. Besides, you’re done for the day, so you have no more obligations.”

“All very appealing, but personally I find it better to start the day with a comforting meal than to end it with one. It puts you in control and gives you focus, you are the master of your day.”

Charlie scoffed, “I don’t need a nice meal to make me the master of my day.”

“Perhaps not, but it is still a lovely start.”

They arrived at a small café/diner where the hostess greeted Sami by name, genuinely happy to see him, not just putting on a cheerful face. “So good to see you Sameer! It’s been too long, staying busy?”

“As always, Kara; how is your sister doing?”

“Very well, she’ll be glad to hear you stopped by. Hello, I’m Kara, welcome to the Sunrise Boulevard Diner.”

Her abrupt switch to Charlie caught him off guard, “Um, hello, Charlie Baird, pleasure.”

“This is my new accompanist, we have found ourselves with some unexpected free time and I decided I needed to show my friend here the ways of brunch.”

“I knew you weren’t just here because you missed me. Usual table?”

“If it is available.”

“Sameer, have I ever let you down? Right this way gentlemen.” She took them to a small table by the window. The blinds were all half down to keep the sun from getting in anyone’s eyes. They were handed menus and a cocktail menu was left on the table. Sami opted to pick up the drinks menu first.

“What do you say, Charlie, will you join me for a drink or are you worried about your obligations for the day?”

“I have as many obligations as you do, I suppose one won’t hurt. Whaddya recommend?”

“All of them my friend, but for that we do not have the time or the tolerance.”

“I’ll leave it to your better judgment then, I may know a thing or two about drinks but these are a little out of my area of expertise.”

Sami ordered them each a Mezcal Sunset, and they placed their orders for food. “Perhaps sometime you can return the favor, show me your knowledge.”

“Are ye askin’ me to take you for a night on the town?”

“Unless you are opposed, it is merely a suggestion.”

“I’m not opposed at all, I’m just wondering if you have the ah, what was it, the tolerance for it?”

“I think you’ll find that a well-maintained Broadway body can tolerate anything you throw at it.”

“Is that a challenge, Mr. Nejem?”

“Not at all, Mr. Baird, merely stating a fact.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“I take it you wish to test it then?”

“I just might.” Their meal arrived before Sami could respond. He held up his drink and Charlie toasted it, taking a sip of the yellow mix. “It’s just strong orange juice, isn’t it?”

“Try mixing the Grenadine from the bottom, adds a bit more flavor. And the food is always impeccable, please, dig in.”

They enjoyed their meal in silence for a while, occasionally offering the other a bite of something off one of their plates. Charlie seemed particularly fond of the bacon and the hash browns. Once they had sated their appetites, Sami ordered another round of drinks and sat back in his chair.

“So, have you come around to the ways of brunch?”

“I never said I didn’t like it, I just prefer breakfast-for-dinner.”

“Is there any particular reason?”

“Keeps my mealtimes regular. I’m an army man, I’m used to routine. Eating in the middle of the morning throws off your whole day.”

“What brought you to the army?”

“Truth be told, I didn’t have a lot of options.” Charlie stirred his drink as he thought, “I wasn’t smart enough or talented enough for a successful career in anything so I decided to see what I could do for the army. Turned out I had a knack for sharp-shooting. I served as a sniper for a while, made my way up to corporal.”

The mood had dropped at the table, Sami tried to direct it to less serious topics, “Is that a high rank?”

“Eh not really. I definitely had to work for it, but I was never in a command position, which is what I think you’re trying to ask. It’s all a wee bit strange, but as long as I know who gets addressed how I don’t worry too much about it.”

“And did you discover your musical talent in the army as well or did that come later? Because if you had it before, then you were mistaken when you said you did not have enough talent for a successful career.”

“Och,” Charlie waved his hand, ears turning red again, “I’m decent enough sure but there wasn’t really a future in it for me until now.”

“I disagree, but in any case, you’re here now, lucky for me.” Sami raised his drink with a wink, taking a sip to hide his smile as Charlie’s blush spread. “But I think I have pestered you enough, now it is your turn to ask me whatever you like, I am an open book.”

“How did you get into choreography? Did you do a lot of musicals in your career?”

“None, actually. Despite my best efforts, and dancing abilities, I was never able to become a Broadway-worthy singer. I’m much better than I was when I first started out, but never quite good enough. So instead of breaking my heart trying to get into a musical, I dedicated myself to the unsung straight plays of Broadway.”

Charlie snorted, “Unsung? Because they’re not musicals?”

“Hush,” Sami reprimanded even as he fought to hold back his own smile. “They are not musicals and I am not straight, yet somehow we were a perfect match. After a wonderful run, I decided to pursue my personal creative interests. Some friends of mine took a chance on me and let me join their studio. I started off doing all of the usual stuff, but I soon realized I cared more about the small moments, the intimate scenes between two actors, or between one actor and the audience. Once I’d saved enough money and built a reputation, I was able to start my own studio doing select work.”

“That’s not bad. Was it hard to get people to take you seriously?”

“A little, at first. But my friends vouched for me with their clients and I was soon able to prove myself.”

“Did you always want to go into theater then?”

“As long as I can remember. My parents have old pictures and home videos of me putting on plays in our living room, and performing in school plays.” Sami smiled fondly, remembering, “They worried about whether I would be welcome on Broadway, but they never stopped supporting me.”

Charlie stirred the ice in his glass, not sure what to say next. “Can I ask a question that everyone’s probably asked?”

“Of course.”

“If you could play any role, regardless of anything, what would it be?”

“The Tin Man,” Sami answered almost immediately.

“From Wizard of Oz?”

“The same, though I also enjoy The Wiz very much.”

“Why the Tin Man?”

“Because what nobler quest is there than seeking a heart? What good is a home or a brain or courage when there is no love? Love is what makes those four walls into a home. All the facts in the world cannot make a sunset pale in comparison to the way that one special person smiles. As for courage, is it not brave in and of itself to seek out the very core of all human emotions, and ask to be given the ability not only to love but to hurt? The way your heart pounds as you face your fears is nothing compared to when you hold the hand of the person you love for the first time.”

“But without courage, how can you be brave enough to reach for that hand in the first place?”

“Very true, my friend, but you still need love first, otherwise there's nothing to be scared of.”

“I see your point. You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?”

“Of course. I will say though, the Scarecrow’s dance is much more fun than the Tin Man’s, if only because it’s so ridiculous. May I ask you another question now?”

“Seems fair.”

“What is your favorite song to play?”

Once again, Charlie got quiet. He looked out the window, trying to hide the fact that his eyes were watering. Just when Sami was about to redirect the conversation, Charlie cleared his throat and rested his elbows on the table, hands clasped tightly.

“There’s an old song that my family’s been singing for years. My grandmother taught it to me, my grandfather used to play it for her on their anniversary. I ah, I haven’t played it myself in a while.”

Sami lifted his hand, hesitated, then put it over Charlie’s. When Charlie looked up at him, he squeezed gently and offered a small smile. “I hope you will play it again someday.”

"Thank you, Sami."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MNANgFCYpk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MNANgFCYpk)


	5. Wonderful Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's back in town, time to catch up with the boys

Steve was in town and decided to stop by the studio to see how things were going. Charlie had been working with Sami for about a month which meant their weird little trial-run was coming close to an end. He’d been kind of in touch with them while he was gone, and they always had stories to tell from rehearsals or just from spending time with each other, so Steve was pretty sure it had all worked out. Still, he wanted to see for himself and besides it was always fun to hang out with Sami and with Charlie so hanging out with both of them sounded like a good time.

When he got to the door of the studio, Charlie was sitting at the piano and Sami was behind him, one hand on Charlie’s shoulder as he leaned forward to point at something on the music. Steve rapped his knuckles on the door frame, getting both of their attention.

“Steven! May God put a flower upon your head son, good to see ya!”

Sami looked at Charlie with a very confused look that he then turned on Steve, “What?”

“I’m pretty sure Charlie makes up Scottish expressions just to mess with me.”

“Speculation and slander, I would never.”

“Yes you would,” Sami retorted.

“Yes I would.”

Sami clapped Charlie on the shoulder before turning back to Steve, “So, what brings you by?”

“Well I was in the neighborhood and decided I would come see how things are going and invite you guys out for lunch.”

“Sounds good to me, Charlie?”

“Actually if you don’t mind I’ll stay here. Some of the keys started sounding a bit weird last week and I’ve been meaning to take a look at them. It’s getting annoying having to play around them all the time.”

“You’ve been playing around the notes for a week? Why didn’t you say something, I could have called someone.”

“I’m pretty sure I know what’s wrong with it, I can take care of it no problem.”

“Do you want me to bring anything back for you?”

“Just a sandwich or something, I’m not too hungry.”

“Alright then. I’ll return once I’ve changed, Steve.”

“Sure thing, Sami. Hey Charlie, I found a new bar if you want to grab a bite later. I’m only free today otherwise I’d ask if you want to get lunch tomorrow.”

“I don’t have any plans; if you text me the address I can meet you there after work.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Sami reemerged in his day clothes, “Are you sure you do not want to join us, Charlie?”

“I’m good here, Sami.”

“I’ll see you later then. Steve, après vous.”

They didn’t go too far, choosing a deli near the studio that Sami and Charlie occasionally ordered from. Sami placed a to-go order for Charlie with their meal, to be ready when they left. There weren’t a lot of people in, as it was slightly after the usual lunch hour, so they sat down at a four person table near the counter.

“I take it things are going well with Charlie then?”

“They are. He didn’t storm out when I happened to mention I wasn’t straight and he’s done wonderfully adapting to the demands of the Broadway life. Better, even, than some of our clients.”

“Got a couple of ‘difficult’ ones?”

“Only two. One is learning, the other is proving to be more of a challenge. I have a feeling they are going to get a lesson they were not prepared for.”

“You’re not going to have to give them a Sami Lecture are you?”

“We shall see. In any case, if I do not say something to them I have no doubt that Charlie will. He gets very offended on my behalf whenever they talk back, show up late, take a call during the lesson, etc.”

“Wow. I’m surprised they’ve lasted this long already.”

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to their director to find out if this is a regular occurrence outside of the studio as well.”

“It almost has to be, Sami.”

“I agree, but I want to be sure. Thankfully, their attitude has not made Charlie quit. I’ve lost accompanists because of difficult clients before. Not that I blame the accompanists; the performers that have the nerve to act like they’re better than people who are the heart of Broadway are nasty and vicious in their remarks. Sometimes, I honestly wish Charlie would stand up for himself. Truth be told, I think he gets more offended when I am insulted than when he’s insulted to his face.”

“Yeah that sounds like Charlie. Did he tell you how we first met?”

“It hasn’t come up.”

“The short version is he sat there and took a lot of shit before stepping up to defend someone else, and nearly got his ass handed to him. He’s an excellent marksman, but even sober his hand-to-hand combat skills aren’t the best, and he was definitely not sober. Luckily, Etta and I were on hand.”

“I have a feeling Etta was a bit luckier for him than you.”

“I…got him out of the way while she handled the situation.”

“In other words, she told you to keep your head down while she took care of it.”

“Well…” Steve looked like he was about to contest the point, until he saw the expression on Sami’s face, “OK it wasn’t _exactly_ like that.”

“But if I know Etta, she did take control of the situation before you had any idea what was going on. I swear if you didn’t have her you would not be sitting here.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to take care of myself?”

“I’m saying we all need someone looking out for us, just as we all look out for someone else, you have Etta.”

“Who do you have, Sami?”

“My mother, my father, and my father’s family when I forget to call home and tell them I’m still alive. I’m not sure who makes me feel guiltier, my aunt or her wife. They called the other day in the middle of a lesson, because they know I’ll remember to call in order to make them stop doing that, and Charlie ended up on the phone with them for over half an hour. We think he’s been invited to either family dinner or my cousin’s wedding, it’s still not clear.”

“I never knew Charlie could be so charming.”

“Apparently he’s a hit with menopausal lesbians.” At that moment, Steve’s phone went off. “My aunts do not have your number do they.”

“I don’t think there are any menopausal lesbians in my contacts.” Steve checked the ID, “Unless Etta has something she’s decided not to tell me.” He answered as Sami snorted and went to go get Charlie’s order. When he came back, Steve was putting on his jacket. “Sorry to cut this short but duty calls.”

“I had a feeling. It was good seeing you again, Steve, give Etta my love.”

“As always; and say hi to Chief for me next time you see him.”

When Sami arrived back at the studio, he found Charlie working on the piano. The top was flipped open and Charlie’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He set his tool down on the bench and picked up an electronic device, pressing one of the keys and holding the device over the opening. Apparently the note was good because he nodded and traded the device for another tool.

“Are you…tuning the piano?”

Charlie turned around, “Welcome back. I’m almost done, just one more note to go.”

“Where did you get the tools?”

“Brought my kit from home,” Charlie’s voice echoed a little as he leaned over the piano, “I would’ve been done already but the tools needed to be cleaned. I haven’t done this in a while.”

“No rush, Etta called so Steve had to leave early.”

“Back to work, whatever that is.”

“You don’t know either?”

“My theory is it’s either top secret, or very mundane, but whatever it is he sure seems to travel a lot.”

“Sometimes I think he might be a CIA agent or something.”

“I would not be surprised. D’ya think Etta’s his handler then?”

“As you said, I would not be surprised.”

“Aye, she may be a wee lassie but there’s a fire in her.” Charlie tested the tuning again and shut the piano, satisfied. “One freshly tuned piano.”

“Molto impressionante. Your sandwich.”

“Much obliged, go ahead and put it on the bench, I need to pack up the kit.”

As Charlie was rolling down his sleeves, Sami caught a glimpse of a tattoo on his arm, just above the crook of his elbow. It looked like some kind of purple flower, with a red one next to it and a music note between them. He wanted to ask, but knew instinctively that it was something deeply personal.

Instead Sami asked, “Where did you learn to tune a piano?”

“My father’s shop.” Charlie sat down on the bench and started packing up his tools. “He ran the music shop in town. My mother gave piano lessons in our living room. When I was old enough, I started working in the shop with him after school. Ma taught me how to play, and Da taught me how to take care of an instrument. When Ma was pregnant with my youngest sister, I took over teaching lessons.”

“So you could play before the army.”

“Aye, I used to play for the unit wherever there was a piano. We had another man with a guitar and a lass that could play the drums on anything. They used to joke that we should start a band together.”

“Did you come up with band names?”

“Of course we did. I think I’ve got the list at home somewhere, I’ll bring it in if I find it.”

“Should I ask how sober you were when you wrote this list?”

“Well, it’s mostly legible. But we were definitely not allowed to operate heavy machinery.”

“Mio Dio.”

“Oh please like theater people never get wasted and make fools of themselves.”

“You…make a fair point.” Sami conceded.

“Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to enjoy my sandwich in victory.”

Later that night, when Charlie met up with Steve at the bar, he discovered it was one he already knew about. Sami had mentioned that a lot of theater people hung out at the Hangman’s Arms and invited Charlie to come out with them next time there was an after-show celebration. He fired off a quick text to Sami and grinned at the response he got.

Steve was sitting at the bar and waved him over, “Hey Charlie, I haven’t ordered yet, what looks good?”

“I think I’ll get something on tap.”

“Sounds good to me, let’s go for two.”

Charlie waved the bartender over before Steve could, “Two house drafts, and Sameer says to give Jess his regards.”

“Will do, two house drafts coming up.”

Steve turned his upper body towards Charlie, “You already knew about this place.”

“Well, yes and no. I think you’re making the assumption that I’ve been here before and I haven’t, but Sami has and told me about the place. So I texted him and just earned us happy hour drinks compliments of Jess, who I am not allowed to tell you anything about.”

“Cheers to Jess then.” Steve and Charlie clinked their glasses before taking a long drink. “Oh that’s good.”

“Aye, that’ll put hairs on your chest. How’ve ya been Steve, it’s been a while.”

“Same as ever, Charlie, doing pretty good. How about you, new job working out?”

“It’s working out great. Sami’s a wonderful guy and a terrific boss, much better than my first one.”

“Yeah I would think so. Has he told you how we met?”

“Hasn’t come up.”

“I was going out with a woman, not really dating her but not seeing anyone else either, and she was crazy about this play coming out with some actor I’d never heard of. Her birthday was coming up and I had a friend who worked as Prop Master for just about all of Broadway, you may have heard me mention him before, his name’s Chief. You need anything found, this guy’s your man. So I asked him if he happened to know where I could get tickets that included being able to go backstage and meet the performers. He came through, and then she and I broke things off before her birthday. I asked Chief if he wanted the tickets back and he told me I could keep them, so I took Etta. Thankfully, it was some war drama and we were both able to enjoy it so we decided to go meet the cast anyways. Well the main character was played by the actor I’d never heard of, and he did a phenomenal job, so I was actually looking forward to meeting him.”

“And that was Sami.”

“That was Sami. We struck up some debate about the message of the performance and he invited Etta and me out to the cast party. The rest was history.”

“I keep hearing about his old performance days, I’m starting to wish I’d been able to see him on stage. If his acting is half as good as his dancing, it’s no wonder he’s got the prestige and all that.”

“You should ask to see his accolades cabinet sometime, he’s got everything in there, including reviews from critics who absolutely panned him.”

“Why?”

“Why did they pan him or why does he have them?”

“Both.”

“They’re idiots and he’s humble.”

“He can certainly take criticism, even when it is from idiots.”

“I take it you’re referring to Sami’s ‘difficult’ clients?”

“Aye. I tell ya Steve, I’ve met some bastards in my time but these two can give them a run for their money. The amount of absolute shite that Sami gets from them and he never seems to lose his temper, it's remarkable. I know it’s coming I’m just not sure if I’ll be able to wait that long. I’m about this close to decking one of them, if I knew it wouldn’t get Sami in trouble and probably me fired. They have no idea how lucky they are to be where they are. D’y’know how many people would give their left arm to have even half a chance at their dreams? And these people are just taking it for granted. Thank the lord they’re not all like that, I don’t think I’d be able to stand it.”

“I hear ya. I’ve seen my fair share of idiots and bastards, I’m just glad there are more decent people out there than not.”

“Cheers to that; bastards are the anomaly, I know, they just make so much noise it’s hard to find the better people.”

“Part of that was optimistic at least.”

“I really do believe that humanity is good, there are just some people that like to challenge that belief.”

“Amen to that.” Steve shook his head and took another long drink, “How are your sisters by the way?”

“Ah, they’re still a pair of bonny lasses. Did I tell ya I’m an uncle now?”

“No kidding? Whose kid?”

“Maggie.” Charlie pulled out his phone, “Meet baby Grant.”

“Oh he looks like trouble.”

“We knew that before he was born. She swears she was about to throw up the baby next time she got morning sickness. But the wee bairn stayed in until he was ready, and he came out kicking and screaming.”

“Better get ready for the emergency babysitting call.”

“New York is a little far from Elginshire.”

“It’s just a hop over the pond. Besides, you know you’d be there in a heartbeat if she really needed you.”

“Aye, true enough. I can’t wait to see the little bugger at Christmas.”

“You’re going home this year?”

“Finally. If you’re around beforehand we should all get together for a small dinner or something.”

“That sounds good Charlie, I’d like that.”

They sat and ate and drank a little more, catching up and reminiscing. In another time, they would have closed the bar, but they both had work the next day. Charlie wanted to get to the studio early to check over the piano, see if any other keys needed to be tuned; Steve had a conference or a briefing or something like that in the morning. There had been an attempt to get more information on what kind of meeting exactly it would be but somehow at the end of the night Charlie still had no more answers than before.

“Sneaky bugger,” he muttered to himself as he unlocked his apartment door.

Once he’d settled in for the night, Charlie pulled out his phone to text Sami he would be coming in earlier. Instead, he saw a missed message asking if he’d seen Sami’s music folder.

_‘Last time I saw it it was on the piano’_

_‘I had a feeling you were going to say that. Could you please bring your extra sheets tomorrow just in case it’s not there?’_

_‘Sure thing boss’_

_‘You know you don’t have to call me boss right?’_

_‘Yeah but it’s kind of a habit. If it bothers you I can stop’_

_‘Nah, I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to’_

_‘I mean you are the boss of me’_

_‘That makes me sound like your mother’_

_‘I’ll have you know my mother’s a lovely lady and you should be honored to be compared to her in any way’_

_‘Fair enough. I’ll let you get some sleep now. Good night Charlie’_

_‘Good night Sami’_


	6. So Much To Do In New York (Eating)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking advantage of an unexpected afternoon off

It wasn’t until he arrived at the studio at 6:45am, folder in hand with his trusty thermos filled with coffee, that Charlie remembered he’d forgotten to text Sami about coming in early. He pulled his phone out and started to draft a text before he noticed a light on at the top of the stairs. When he tried the door, it was unlocked. There was music coming down the stairs.

“Hallo?” He called.

The music paused, “Charlie?” It was definitely Sami.

“It’s me. I’m coming up.”

“What are you doing here so early?” Sami asked once Charlie was in the studio. He was in his dancing clothes, apparently rehearsing. There was an iPod sitting in a speaker dock on the floor.

“I came to see if the piano needed anymore tuning. I meant to text you last night but forgot until I was already here. How long have you been here?”

“What time is it?”

“About,” Charlie checked his watch, “6:50.”

“About an hour then.”

“What time did you wake up?”

“You do not want to know. I’m just going over the routines with the tape.”

"That's an iPod."

"The tape is a taped recording of the music. It's helpful for when you know the routine and want to practice at home."

“Broadway never rests eh?” Charlie set his kit and thermos down on the piano. “Here’s the music.”

“Merci, I have not yet been able to find my folder.” Sami opened it up, spreading the sheets out over the top of the piano as Charlie opened up his thermos. When the smell of the coffee hit Sami’s nose, he made a displeased face, “what is that?”

“What, my coffee?”

“That is not coffee, that is an abomination.”

“It’s just plain black coffee.”

“Exactly. You and Steve, something is wrong with you two.”

“Well I didn’t have time to brew tea if I wanted to be here in time to have the piano tuned before lessons started.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Sami gently extracted Charlie’s thermos from his hand, putting it to the side. He then took the cup/lid from Charlie’s thermos and his own, and poured them both some tea. “Here, mint tea.”

“God bless ya.” They clinked lids and Charlie took a long sip, “Ah, that’s the right stuff.”

“Please, help yourself. I will go pour this down the drain.”

“It’s just coffee.”

“It is an insult to what coffee could be. True coffee is an art form.”

“Look I’m not a huge fan of it either but whenever I need a quick hit of caffeine to wake me up, it works just fine.”

“What is Steve’s excuse then?”

“Who knows. Boy’s never had an appreciation for tea.”

“Americans. This is what happens when you throw your tea in the harbor, your children grow up with no taste.”

Charlie just snorted in response as he started unpacking his kit. Sami moved the papers and the thermos off the top of the piano, taking Charlie’s to the bathroom to follow through on his threat. Each went about his preparations, letting the silence hang so as not to distract the other. They occasionally made eye contact, smiling and nodding before returning to their tasks.

Unfortunately, their peace was broken the second their client arrived. It was the difficult one they had both told Steve about, and they were talking loudly on their phone. They arrived at the top of the stairs and dropped their bag on the floor, barely looking at Sami or Charlie as they continued talking on their phone. Sami and Charlie exchanged a look, clearly it was going to be a long day.

Once Sami was able to get them off their phone-not without plenty of attitude-they started working with the tape since tuning was taking longer than Charlie had thought. That got a number of passive aggressive comments that Charlie shrugged off, but Sami got more and more fed up. Finally, they said something that pushed Sami over the edge:

“Well if your idiot pianist hadn’t been trying to fix the piano he probably broke then-“

“That is enough. I have tried to be patient, I have tried to be tough, and I am done trying. You have two options: either you can apologize to myself and to Mr. Baird for your behavior during all of our lessons, or you can leave and never come back. Know that if you choose that latter, your director will be told of everything that has happened, likely resulting in your removal from the show.”

“I’m the star, this show needs me!”

Sami went still and quiet. Charlie had seen him like this when he was in deep thought but now it was different. A chill went through the room.

“I see now,” Sami finally said, “You think you are irreplaceable. I’m sure it’s going to come as a nasty shock when I tell you that you are not. Yes, you may have natural talent but that does not guarantee you anything. There are over a dozen people willing to work twice as hard to get where you are right now, and they would be grateful for it. If it were up to me, I would trade you for any of them right now. The show must go on, and it will do so with or without you. So I suggest you go home and think about just how lucky you are and how much you’re willing to do to not waste this opportunity.” The performer opened their mouth to speak but Sami cut them off, “Good day.”

They left, shaken and uncertain probably for the first time in their life. Sami took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh, releasing the tension in the air. He turned and walked past Charlie to the rack, removing his jacket and scarf.

“Seeing as that was our only client today, I think we can call it an early day and go enjoy ourselves, what do you say?”

“Sameer,” Charlie’s use of his full name made Sami turn, “That wasn’t just a line, was it? You knew exactly what you were talking about.”

“I always do. But to the question you’re really asking, yes, I was once the young actor getting chewed out by my teacher.”

“What did you do?”

“I went home, did a lot of thinking, then swallowed my pride and apologized. If necessary, I was willing to beg for my job back. After that I never took a job for granted. I worked my ass off every day and earned the right to demand respect.”

“I’d say you’ve done that well enough.”

Sami smiled, “Merci. But enough talk of divas for today, I have clothes to change and a phone call to make.”

“You were serious about that?”

“Of course. The director and I have been in constant contact, I will let her know I have given the ‘Sami Lecture’ as Steve calls it and we will see what transpires. If they are smart enough to actually listen to what I said, then they will make their apologies. If not, they will likely call the director and try to make us look bad to discredit anything I tell her.”

“Which won’t work because the director knows you and you’ve been telling them everything from the start.”

“Exactly. You don’t get far if you’re not smart. I was thinking about grabbing a bite after I make the call, you’re welcome to join me unless you have other plans.”

“Just a few errands I need to run, but nothing that can’t wait.”

“I will be back momentarily.” Sami disappeared into his office, returning in his regular clothes. “So far, she has heard nothing, but she trusts my report. Therefore, our part in this is concluded unless they apologize and return for lessons.”

“How likely do you think that’ll be?”

“As frustrated as I am with them, I have hope that they’ll make a change.”

When they arrived at the Sunrise Boulevard, they were greeted by Kara again. “Actually, Sameer, one of your friends is here if you’d like to sit with her.”

“Who-“

“Sami! Charlie!”

Both men turned to see a short woman with red curls waving at them from a nearby table.

“Etta! Lass! Good to see ya!” Charlie beamed and walked over to give her a hug.

“I take it that’s a yes then?” Kara asked, smiling.

“Two more menus at the lovely Etta’s table please.” Sami winked at her and joined his friends, giving Etta a hug as well. They placed their drink and their food orders when the waiter came over, needing only a minute to glance over the menu.

“I was so hoping to run into you two,” Etta said. “When Steve told me about pairing you up I knew he was onto something brilliant. I think it may be one of the brightest ideas he’s ever had.”

“It is lucky that you were here then,” Sami told her, “We happened to find ourselves with a free day and decided to have a quick meal.”

“Is everything alright? No family emergencies or anything?”

“No, nothing like that, merely an over-inflated ego that received an abrupt puncture.”

“Oh dear, you gave them a Sami Lecture didn’t you?”

“He certainly gave them a thorough dressing-down.”

Sami threw his hands in the air, “Why does everyone act like it’s this big deal?”

“Sami, I haven’t seen anything like that since the time my drill sergeant yelled at the recruits for sneaking out to the local pub.”

“It’s not that we think you’re this overbearing and strict teacher,” Etta assured him, “But you do have a strong passion for your work and you don’t tolerate slackers or big heads.”

“Because you have to work hard just to have a chance, and some people don’t seem to understand that.”

“We know dear. And we’re not trying to criticize you at all. In fact, I think it’s very admirable that your speeches carry such an impact. Chief has told me he’s heard many of your former pupils say that your lectures are still some of the most meaningful lessons they’ve ever received.”

“I can believe that,” Charlie shook his head, “I’d hate to be on the receiving end of one of the bad ones.”

“If we are quite done talking about me, how have you been, Etta?”

“Oh I’ve been having a marvelous time at the office. I recently discovered this software program that lets me build my own templates so now I can get forms out much quicker. They swear I’m either a miracle worker or a witch.”

Charlie snorted, “I’m not touching that one.”

“And what is that supposed to mean, Charlie?”

“Absolutely nothing, Etta.”

“Careful Charlie, she might put a hex on you. That reminds me, how is your hell spawn of a roommate?”

“ _Emmeline_ is doing just fine. I don’t see why you can’t be nice to her.”

“She is never nice to me! Not one time we have met has she been anything but a menace.”

“It’s nothing personal against you, she doesn’t like most men.”

“Then why should I like her? Last time I was at your apartment, she scratched me so hard I thought I was going to have scars.”

“She’s perfectly harmless once she’s used to you.”

“I say she has had plenty of time to get used to me, and she has decided to be bitter. You know last time I took care of her for you I got there and she had tipped over her entire litterbox across the bathroom floor, _and_ tracked it into the kitchen?”

“Hang on,” Charlie interrupted, “Are you two talking about a cat?”

“Yes, Emmeline Pankhurst, my cat. Have I never told you about her? Here, let me pull up some pictures for you, what on earth did you think we were talking about?”

“Sami said ‘roommate’ so I thought you were talking about an actual person, and I was starting to get worried.”

“I can understand why. Etta calls her a cat, I call it a demon in disguise. That cat has hated me from the second it looked at me. Any time I have had to cat-sit for her it makes my life a living hell. I quickly learned to never wear anything I did not want to have claw marks in it. Also, do not take off your shoes, she will do something to them.”

“Nonsense she’s perfectly sweet. Here we are,” Etta handed her phone across to Charlie.

“Christ almighty! She’s huge!”

“Well yes, she is a Maine Coon. Or a Siberian, I’ve never been sure, but they’re both rather large breeds. In any case it makes her an excellent sofa companion in the winter.”

Sami made a face, “I still say she’s a menace.”

“Yes yes, in any case I do hope you get the chance to meet her Charlie.”

“Wear thick socks.”

“Alright, that’s enough out of you, Sameer. So tell me, obnoxious clients aside how have you two been working out?”

“Aye we get along well, best boss I’ve ever had.”

“And he is the most mild-mannered person I’ve ever met who works for Broadway. Besides Chief, of course.”

“Well naturally. I don’t think anything gets under that man’s skin God bless him. Have you seen him lately?”

“No, but I have not been out of my studio much this month. I’m sure we’ll run into each other once I start getting out to the theatres.”

“Who’s Chief?” Charlie asked.

“The Chief Prop Master of Broadway is his unofficial title,” Etta replied, “Goodness knows what the official one is. Whenever any show needs any prop, Chief knows exactly where to get it.”

“He doesn’t work for any one theater or show at any given time,” Sami added, “he’s just there for whoever needs him. We will probably see him at some point, he’s always around.”

“Are there any other people or pets I should expect to meet in the future?”

Sami turned to Etta, “He knows you and Steve,”

“He’s going to meet Chief and Emmeline,”

“We don’t talk to Patrick anymore,”

“Certainly not,”

“I think that covers everybody.”

“Agreed.”

“In answer to your question, Charlie: only Chief and the ‘charming’ Emmeline.”

“Oi, I heard that sarcasm Sameer.”

“I would never.”

“You would,” Charlie corrected.

“I would.”

Their meal arrived shortly after and conversation gave way to enjoying the food. Etta managed to strong arm Charlie into splitting a slice of pie with her. Sami ended up stealing a few bites off of Charlie’s plate, only having to fight for them a little bit before Charlie caved. They engaged in some more small talk with Etta before she had to get back to the office, getting a promise from both of them to stop by for a visit sometime soon.

Since Charlie still had errands to run, he decided it was time for him to head out. Sami ended up going with him, realizing he had a number of things he needed to pick up as well.

They split up at the store, planning to meet up before check out. When Sami happened to pass by the frozen foods section, he was mildly horrified to see Charlie putting a number of microwave meals into his basket.

“Please tell me you do know how to cook,” he asked, walking over. Charlie jumped a little, letting Sami take the package out of his hand. “Are these even real food?”

“I know how to cook,” Charlie took the package back and dropped it into his basket, “I’ll have you know I was the only person in my unit who knew how to make a decent meal with whatever food we had on hand.”

“Well we have much better food on hand now, you can do more than decent for yourself, and you can certainly do better than this.”

“If I had the time and energy maybe, but I’m not as young as I used to be. These get me by just fine.”

“None of us are as young as we used to be, Charlie, but that does not mean we should deprive ourselves of real food every now and then. Tell me, when was the last time you had a homecooked meal?”

“Well…”

“Alright, that settles it. I am cooking for you, tonight. I will send you the address, bring a bottle of red wine around 6:30, and I should have everything ready by 7.”

“Now hang on, you’re not serious are you?”

“Perfectly; is that an agreeable time for you.”

“I-well- yeah alright.” Charlie half threw his hands up in the air, defeated. “Red, right?”

“It is a well-kept secret that most wines taste the same, any red will do.”

“I’ll see you at 6:30 then.”


	7. Unsuspecting Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet evening together, and the start of...something

Charlie arrived at 6:15 with a merlot. He’d decided to change into a nicer shirt with a jacket, foregoing the tie after telling himself he was being ridiculous. Now, standing in the hallway of Sami’s much-nicer-than-his apartment complex, he was starting to feel under dressed. Taking a deep breath, Charlie knocked on the door, walking in after he heard an affirmative to enter.

Sami’s apartment was grand, there was no other way to describe it. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all on an open floor plan. There was comfortable looking furniture in rich oranges and reds, wooden tables and cabinets with gorgeous carved and painted designs. The carpet had the same color palette as the furniture, and the walls were a desert like yellow-gold. It was…warm.

There was an island counter separating the kitchen from the living room. Sami was chopping something on the board, an apron over his shirt and his sleeves rolled up. A wireless speaker near him played a lilting tune. On the stove behind him was a strange earthenware pot that looked kind of like a small house, conical with an open top. He looked up and smiled, “Welcome, Charlie. Please, make yourself at home.”

“It smells great in here, anything I can help with?”

“It’s mostly done, I’m making a salad and waiting for the water to boil for couscous. There are wine glasses in that cabinet if you would like to pour us some. I was thinking about making a traditional Scottish meal for you but I realized a number of things. For a start, I don’t know which ones you like or don’t like. Additionally, my understanding is that the majority of traditional Scottish meals involve intestines, pickling, and/or an excessive amount of boiling.”

“It’s the Catholic influence,” Charlie said, pouring two glasses of wine, “The church got involved and suddenly we had to boil the hell out of everything.”

Sami stopped gathering up the squash on the cutting board and gave Charlie an unimpressed look. Without a word, he scooped the veggies into his hands and dumped them in a salad bowl next to the board. Still maintaining eye contact, Sami started hand-tossing the salad. Charlie took a sip of his wine and winked, finally making Sami crack a smile.

“You are shameless. Go put this on the table for me, I need to put the couscous in.”

“What is couscous?”

“It’s…it’s kind of like quinoa?”

“What’s quinoa?”

“It’s like a grain, people use it as a healthy alternative to rice.”

“I do know what rice is.”

“Maybe you’re not hopeless after all.”

Charlie returned Sami’s unimpressed look from earlier, getting a cheeky grin in response. The couscous was done in a few minutes and Charlie offered to carry it to the table so Sami could get the pot off the stove. There were two ceramic plates on the table to protect it from the heat. Once they’d set their pots down, Sami put his apron back in the kitchen, coming back with his glass and the bottle.

“Have a seat, please. You are the guest, I will serve. And feel free to take your jacket off, this apartment heats up very nicely when I use the tagine.”

"Is that what that thing is?" Charlie asked as he hung his jacket on the back of a chair, "Where d'ya find a thing like that?"

"International foods store. The trick is finding the right size." Sami started fixing a plate as he spoke, "I was about to ask my aunts if they had a spare or just have my parents send me one from home. Thankfully, I was spared the shipping expense. And what we have as a result is beef tagine for two with salad and couscous." He put the plate in front of Charlie. "It is well spiced but not spicy, if you were worried about that."

"I was a little bit. There was one time where a man whose family is from Mumbai cooked for us. He only knew how to make one dish really well and it could take the hair off your chest I'll tell ya. I was the only one smart enough to go for the cheese over the water."

"And none of you have ever had Indian food again I'm sure."

"Absolutely not, I used to be a blonde before it set my hair on fire."

Sami paused a minute as that processed before bursting out laughing. He set off Charlie and they both spent the next minute or so just laughing. As they started trying to calm down, they tried not to make eye contact, knowing they would just start again. Sami fixed his own plate and sat down, holding his glass out to Charlie.

“To the end of our trial run, and the official start of our partnership.”

“Aye, cheers.” They toasted and drank.

“Now please, dig in, before it gets cold and the salad gets warm.”

Charlie decided to start with the beef, getting as many different things from the dish on his fork as he could. As soon as he put it in his mouth, he closed his eyes and just savored the taste. “Oh that’s good. And you weren’t kidding about the spices.”

“I’m glad you like it. It works with a variety of meats but, since I told you to bring a red, I thought beef would be a good choice. How’s the couscous?”

“Different, but not bad. It works well with the beef.”

“That is the idea. Welcome to Moroccan cuisine, we put couscous with everything.”

“Hey, if it’s not broke don’t fix it.”

“Some people have a different definition of ‘broke’ than others.”

“You better not be referring to perfectly good Scottish cuisine.”

“No, of course not, why would I ever be referring to food where one part of an animal is shoved into another part of the animal?”

“And the only spice we’ve ever heard of is salt.”

“I think that explains a lot about Scottish personalities.”

Charlie snorted, “I honestly can’t disagree with you there. I have these aunts, we call them the Spinster Sisters, and they’ve been old as long as I can remember. Perfectly lovely pair, they just don’t take shit from anyone, and never hold back what they’re thinking about _anyone_. I’m pretty sure half the family has stopped talking to them at some point or another because of something they’ve said. It usually doesn’t last long, we’re a stubborn bunch but everyone knows you can’t out-stubborn those two. The longest anyone has held out so far is six months.”

“That must’ve been a serious offense.”

“Aye, but it’s not worth repeating. I’d sooner tell you some of the bawdy songs the ‘band’ and I came up with.”

“Oh please do. By the way, did you ever find the list of band names?”

“I did!” Charlie reached back into his jacket and pulled out his phone, “I would’ve brought the paper but I’m not sure it would’ve survived the trip. Here, take a look.”

Sami accepted the phone and started scrolling down the list, snickering more and more as he read them. “The Screaming Tartans; The High-lands; Off-Kilter; I’m sensing a strong Scottish influence.”

“Dunno what gave you that impression.”

“Scared Livers?”

“As opposed to Braveheart.”

“Oh my god,” Sami buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking.

“It gets worse.”

“How?”

“We were sober when we thought of that one.”

“You’re joking.”

“I’m really not.”

“Which one of you thought of it?”

“I can’t tell you, we took an oath of silence, and you know how serious those are.”

“Of course. What happened to your bandmates?”

“Last I heard, one was living at home with his spouse and kids, the other is still serving. We exchange Christmas cards every year, always signed with a different band name. We’ve even come up with a few new ones over the years, all ridiculous of course. They’re a fun group; sometimes I almost miss having him as a bunkmate.”

“But you prefer having your own room?”

“I prefer not having my bed short-sheeted or my socks and pants put in the freezer by my other roommates.”

“And I take it by pants you mean…?”

“The things I wear under my trousers.”

“And they put them in the freezer?”

“Aye, apparently they learned their techniques from schoolgirl slumber parties.”

“Did you retaliate?”

“I had to, my honor was at stake.”

“Then what did you do?”

“For a start, I bribed the men in laundry to make sure their uniforms got just a little extra starch, just enough to be uncomfortable. They also sometimes had one shoe that didn’t quite fit as well as the other, or one sock that didn’t quite match as well. This lasted for about three months. Then I went to our supervisor and got permission to do one last thing.”

“This should be good.”

“Y’see I wasn’t the only one they had messed with. Our entire section of the barracks was fed up. So our band got together, and the members of the army band in our section got together, even getting some of their friends in on it, and we gave them a rousing early-morning wake-up call of “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister. They never pranked anyone ever again.”

“That is devious, and brilliant, my compliments to you.”

“Thank you. I was quite proud of it myself. What about you, any great pranks of your school days?”

“Not as much. There was a lot of competition, of course, and enemies were made, but we dedicated our energy more to improving ourselves than trying to humiliate each other. Besides, there was no such thing as humiliation. You know that scene in _Mean Girls_ where they try to embarrass Regina by cutting holes in the front of her shirt but she just shrugs it off and walks around with it?”

“No but I get the picture.”

“We had to have Regina George levels of confidence, and if we did not have it then we faked it. Of course, if we had Regina George levels of arrogance we did not last. Any kind of pranks were done not on each other but on our instructors, such as the annual Senior Flash Mob. We also staged weddings and funerals for our classmates. Never in a way that could be mistaken for a real ceremony, of course. I think my class won though when two of our members did actually get married. None of the faculty realized at first what had happened because it was a whole production with costumes and lighting and dramatic speeches.”

“You’re joking.” Charlie was fighting back a grin.

“I’m not. In fact, there were only a small few of us in the class who even knew, and that was the wedding party.”

“So you were in on it?”

“I performed the ceremony.”

“Get out.”

“I went through all the steps to get officiated and make sure it would be a legally recognized marriage. The couple and I worked together to write my part of the ceremony, I added a few flairs of my own, and they are still together to this day.”

“That’s amazing. It’s crazy to think what some of the people we used to know are doing now.”

“I’m sure many of them are thinking the same thing about us.”

“I don’t think any of my friends could have thought I’d end up here. None of us ever had Broadway on our minds much, except when the odd showtune came up on a music night.”

“What did you sing?”

“There was always ‘Seasons of Love,’ ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,’ and usually something from _Les Miz_.”

“Did you all have assigned parts for that or just sing as you wanted?”

“Depended on the night, and how drunk people were.”

“Which was your favorite to play?”

“I know it’s cheesy, but I always loved playing ‘Seasons of Love.’ As soon as I hit that first note, everyone settled down. We sounded like a herd of dying cats but we had a good time.”

“That’s always a good one. I guarantee if you get a group of Broadway people together and just play that first note, you’ll get the same reaction every time; it’s kind of beautiful. Unless you have that one person that has to show off on all the high notes.”

“At least in your bunch that person can actually sing. The same could not be said of ours.”

“As long as everyone is having fun, that is what matters the most.”

“Aye, and we did.”

They’d both finished eating by this point and were on their second glasses of wine. Sami stood and began collecting the plates, waving off Charlie when he tried to help.

“You are the guest, just relax.” He put the dishes in the sink and opened the oven, which had been on the lowest possible temperature. Using oven mitts, Sami pulled out a plate covered with a towel. “Why don’t you grab our glasses and we can relocate to the living room.”

Charlie picked up the glasses and followed Sami over to the couch. They put the food and wine on the coffee table before sinking down onto the couch. Sami refilled his glass and offered Charlie more but Charlie declined. Carefully, Sami lifted the center of the towel, then pulled it off the plate with a flourish, revealing a flat, spiral pastry dusted with powdered sugar.

“Et voila.”

“That looks and smells incredible, what is it?”

“M'hancha. This I got premade from the market and baked at home so it would be fresh. I have made it myself in the past but usually not when I’m making a dinner as well.” Sami tore off a piece of the spiral, “Do you have any allergies?”

“None.”

“Here.”

He offered the piece to Charlie, instinctively holding it up to his mouth. Charlie let Sami feed him, eyes closing as soon as it hit his mouth.

“Mmm, what is that?”

“Almond snake pastry, with cinnamon, orange flower water, and a light honey garnish.”

“Alright, I think you win as far as cuisine goes. That is amazing.”

“Thank you. And thank you for allowing me to indulge my cooking side. It’s been a while since I had company, and I enjoyed spending the evening with you.”

“Thank _you_ , for making me have a decent meal, and for being an excellent host. I had a really good time tonight, Sami.”

“Then here’s to a beautiful friendship.”

Sami picked up his glass and held it out. Charlie picked up his and gently clinked it against Sami’s.

They stayed up late, talking and laughing.

When Charlie started yawning, Sami offered to let him stay in the spare room. It was always ready for guests, and since they were the same height and about the same size, Sami was pretty sure he had some clothes and pajamas Charlie could borrow if he wanted. Charlie accepted a pair of pants and a shirt, quietly thanking Sami, almost like he was embarrassed. They said good night to each other, and retired for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m2P2k46wW8 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m2P2k46wW8)
> 
> [Tagine](https://www.jamieoliver.com/us/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-tagine/)   
>  [Couscous](https://www.thespruce.com/simple-couscous-recipe-2355404)   
>  [M'hancha ](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mhanncha-snake-cake-361411)


	8. Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after

The next morning, Sami was up bright and early at his usual hour. He emerged from his room in his robe and turned on the coffee maker. Since he was the only one awake, he started cleaning up the kitchen, trying to stay quiet so he didn’t disturb Charlie. Once the kitchen was clean and two cups of coffee were cooling on the island, Sami decided he wanted to make pancakes.

As he was mixing the batter, Charlie came out of the spare room. He was wearing a pair of green flannel pants and a free shirt Sami had gotten at school that was too big but worked great for sleeping in. Sami had pulled out the barstools for the island and Charlie sat on one, yawning.

“Good morning, Charlie.”

“Mmf, mornin’.” He squinted at Sami a little, “Your hair is all curly.”

“I haven’t put pomade in it.”

“It looks good.”

Sami smiled, “Here, I made coffee. _Real_ coffee.”

That got a bit of a chuckle out of Charlie as he accepted the mug, taking a long sip, “Mmm, do you spice everything in Morocco?”

“More or less. There’s sugar in the bowl if you would like to add some. Usually it is added during the brewing but I didn’t know your preference. I’m making pancakes for breakfast, does that sound good?”

“Absolutely. Anything I can do?”

“There are strawberries in the fridge if you would not mind washing and slicing them.”

“Aye, I think I can manage that.”

While Charlie got to work on the fruit, Sami went back to the pancakes. He pulled out nutmeg and cinnamon to add to the batter, not saying anything when Charlie snorted in amusement but smiling nonetheless.

The pan on the stove had heated and Sami was about to pour the first pancake when his cell phone went off in his room. At first he was going to ignore it because it was the weekend and he didn’t have to work, but the nagging voice in the back of his head told him it might be important so answer it just in case. It was his aunts, reminding him to call his parents. Sami got stuck talking to them for about half an hour, walking out to stand in the hall next to the kitchen. Charlie had taken over making pancakes, a small stack sitting on a plate next to the stove. He glanced over, smiling when Sami gave him an exaggerated eye roll and made a chatty sign with his hand.

“Ama, Ama! It is breakfast time, I will call them after I have eaten. Yes, I promise. I’m making pancakes. No, I did not leave a pancake on the stove! Yes I’m sure, I’m looking at the kitchen right now. Charlie’s taking care of the pancakes.” Sami’s expression turned regretful almost as soon as the words left his mouth. He held the phone out to Charlie, hand over the mic, “Sorry, she wants to talk to you now.”

“Fatiha or Ariana?”

“Fatiha, Ariana is Aunty, Fatiha is Ama.”

Charlie nodded and traded the spatula for the phone. “Hello Fatiha lass, how are ya? I’m doin’ bonny well now I’ve heard your lovely voice, does your wife know how lucky she is?”

Sami rolled his eyes and grinned as Charlie carried on, wandering over to the living room to lean on one of the armchairs. At one point he confirmed that he was in fact coming over for the next family dinner and he and Sami exchanged an ‘oh that’s what it was’ look. During the conversation, Sami finished up the pancakes and started pulling out more breakfast items from the fridge. He and Charlie kept exchanging looks as Charlie talked first with Fatiha and then with Ariana. Charlie finally managed to bring the conversation to an end, promising he would remind Sami to call his parents before saying goodbye.

“Sorry about that,” Sami said when Charlie returned the phone, “I was trying not to mention you because I knew they would insist on talking to you again.”

“Ah, I don’t mind. I think my coffee’s cold though.”

“I’ll stick it in the microwave for you. Do you want to eat at the island or the table?”

“I mean, it looks like you’ve got the whole spread here, no point moving it all over.”

“I like the way you think.” Sami retrieved Charlie’s coffee and poured himself a fresh cup before pulling a stool around the corner of the island so they wouldn’t knock elbows while eating. Charlie told Sami more pranks stories from the barracks and from going to an all-boys school. Sami in turn had his fair share of theater school shenanigans and Broadway mayhem stories. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard his sides hurt. The meal carried on for a while but eventually it started winding down. Sami excused himself to finally call his parents, warning Charlie it might be a long call as they would have to catch him up on everything that had happened since last time he talked to them.

When Sami finally returned, Charlie was putting away some of the fridge items, the plates stacked in the sink. He was also softly singing to himself. Sami stood quietly in the hall, watching him with a small smile. It wasn’t that he meant to spy on Charlie or anything, he just found himself so taken in by the quiet scene that he didn’t want to disturb it.

“ _And we'll all go together_  
_To pluck wild mountain thyme_  
_All around the blooming heather_  
_Will ye go, Lassie go?_ ”

Charlie wasn’t the best singer, but he was good, and he swayed in step with the music a little. Sami found himself wanting to join in, just to sway together. There in his kitchen, in that moment, there was something beautiful, and Sami’s heart called out to it.

Instead, however, Sami retreated back to his room as quietly as he had come out.

He put the phone up to his ear and walked down the hall, “Yes Mother, I will remember to call Aunty for her birthday. I love you too, good bye.”

“All good at home then?” Charlie asked.

“The neighbors cat keeps climbing into their yard, the price of everything is ridiculous, and even though she’s not here she’s convinced I’m not eating enough, so everything is normal and good. Here, let me help finish cleaning that up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Charlie's singing:[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BEl5hTNWh8 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BEl5hTNWh8)
> 
> Chapter Title Song: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqapDK1ffzM ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqapDK1ffzM)


	9. Love, Look Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie's doubts and insecurities make themselves well known

Charlie didn’t know what to do. He felt like he needed to do something, he just wasn’t sure what. Something had changed, a boundary had been crossed. He didn’t quite know how, or when, or if it was possible to go back, or even if he wanted to. Yes, he liked Sami, he could admit that much to himself. Really, it was hard not to. Sami got along with everyone (save a few exceptions) and they were drawn to him. Sometimes, Charlie felt like he was just there.

And then there were the moments where Sami looked at _him_ in the middle of talking with someone else, where they decided to go out to lunch together just because, where Sami cooked him dinner and let him stay for breakfast in the morning. How could he not read into that, even just a little?

The question was, did it all mean the same to Sami that it did to Charlie?

That was the question that left him stuck. He was pretty sure it was up to him to make the next move, but whatever he did could change everything. The uncertainty was paralyzing, a situation Charlie was all too familiar with. That night, he sat down with the journal he’d started a few years ago and wrote out every plausible scenario, desirable and undesirable. It got overwhelming, to the point where Charlie decided that right now he wasn’t going to do anything. Everything could continue as normal for the time being.

He forgot that things weren’t normal anymore. The rules had changed, but Charlie didn’t know how to play anymore. He tried to act the same, but now he was thinking about every thing he said or did. It quickly got stiff in the studio, even the performers could feel it. Neither Sami nor Charlie knew but their clients would leave the studio and speculate with each other about what had happened. This went on for about a week and a half; Charlie wanted to say something to break the tension but he still didn’t know what.

Their afternoons were opening up more now that the session were more reviews than lessons and didn't take the whole day. On one such day, Sami took a call from one of his director friends that he went into his office to finish. When he came out, Charlie realized how tired Sami looked. There were dark circles under his eyes, he didn’t move with his usual grace, and when he leaned on the piano and rubbed his eyes, Charlie could see the lines around his eyes.

He wanted to say something, crack a joke or tell a story, anything to bring the smile back to Sami’s face. It hurt to see that exhaustion, the kind that went bone deep, and know that he was part of the cause. His heart called out, telling him to “do something goddammit!” but his brain kept getting in the way. So Charlie let his brain think for a little while, just to let it run itself out.

Sami was a great man, and more than that he was a good one. He was more than an artist, he was art in motion. His heart was bigger than anyone’s Charlie had ever seen, big enough to hold all of Broadway. And that was it, wasn’t it? Sami had one of those hearts that was so big you were afraid it was going to break, and Charlie didn’t want to be the one to break it. As for Charlie, he was an ex-soldier who knew how to play the piano and got a lucky break. Who was he to even try to be with someone like Sami? But here they were, he’d messed up and hurt Sami and that was the one thing he’d been trying not to do. All this, because he was a goddamn coward.

 

…a coward…

 

…that’s it.

 

Charlie put his hands on the keys and started playing. He whistled along a little, just to give the song a bit more melody. Sami looked up at the familiar notes, catching Charlie’s eye. Charlie offered him a half-smile, one that Sami returned as he stepped away from the piano and started dancing the Scarecrow’s dance to “If I Only Had a Brain/Heart/the Nerve.” It really was ridiculous, with the rag-doll like movements. Charlie's smile turned into a grin, which led to a laugh. The air lifted; it was like the sun had come up and broken through a fog. There was a moment when Charlie’s brain started to step in again, but his heart sang out louder.

 

And so Charlie sang.

 

“O _h I would walk with pride_

_As it filled me to my core._

_I'd love the way I never loved before_

_and then I'd look_ ” Charlie looked up at Sami, who was looking right back at him

_“and love you more._

_“I would try to be a giver_

_to prove I can be better_

_a man that you deserve_

_“and my heart would be singing_

_of the love with which it's brimming_

_if I only had the nerve_ ”

 

And then the song was over. Charlie had turned back to the piano and he now sat staring at his fingers on the keys, not sure if his heart had stopped or it was beating so fast he couldn’t feel it anymore. He heard Sami walking over but still couldn’t bring himself to look.

“Charlie,” Sami said softly.

Charlie looked up, and the sun broke through again, because Sami was standing next to the bench, smiling down at him with tears in his eyes. He reached out and cupped Charlie’s cheek, thumb running gently over his cheekbone.

Sami leaned down, gently pressing his lips against Charlie’s. As he was pulling back, Charlie surged up, grabbing onto Sami’s shirt to pull him back for another kiss. It wasn’t elegant, it wasn’t graceful; in all honesty it was kind of painful to hold that position but Charlie didn’t care.

Once they broke apart, Charlie sat back down on the bench, accidentally pulling Sami with him. Sami managed to catch himself on the piano and sat with one leg tucked under himself. He wrapped both of his hands around Charlie's, still holding onto his shirt, and gently pulled it away so he could press it to his lips.

“I was starting to think I had misread things,” Sami said.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“No, I mean it, I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I was just thinking too much about everything.”

Sami, grinned, “Well, I guess you don’t need to ask for a brain then.”

“Oh my god.” Charlie tried not to smile back.

They didn’t stand a chance. It wasn’t clear who started it but soon they were leaning on each other, laughing too hard because it felt right. The stiffness was gone, the uncertainty cleared, and they were goddamn happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Oopsabird for the journal idea
> 
> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzo_hqOD2YY ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzo_hqOD2YY)
> 
> Scarecrow's Dance: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs)


	10. Shall We Dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory slow dance scene incoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for those trying to keep track of the timeline, bless you. This is early November

Over the next two weeks, Charlie started spending more time at Sami’s. His apartment was bigger and closer to the studio so it just made sense. They traded off whose turn it was to cook, picking recipes together on Sami's Pinterest, which Charlie had been very amused by when Sami showed it to him. Sami tried to get him to make his own account but Charlie said there was no point when it was all on Sami’s phone. There was only mild regret when Sami discovered that he had mysteriously started following random animal boards. Charlie seemed particularly fond of funny goats.

He also finally got to meet Chief. During practice one day, the prop cane Sami had been using snapped. Luckily, it was close to their break time so he didn’t have to make-do with something else for the whole lesson. Sami placed a call in to Chief for something the same length but sturdier and Chief arrived at the studio less than an hour later with exactly what he needed. Sami invited him up to meet Charlie.

“Charlie Baird, meet Napi Siksika, Chief Prop Master of Broadway. Chief, this is Charlie, my accompanist.”

“How do you do,” Charlie stood and shook Chief’s hand.

“Good to meet you," Chief nodded amiably, "Steve has mentioned you a few times.”

“You as well, good to finally put a face to the name.”

“Speak of the devil,” Sami said, “Steve told me to say hi for him last time we spoke. How have you been?”

“It’s been a very busy season, I’ve been in and out of the city most of the month.”

“Would you like to join us for lunch?”

“I would but I can’t, I have another delivery after this one.”

“Next time you have a breathing period, we should get together. I’m sure we both have many more stories to tell.”

“I look forward to it. For now, I have to keep moving. It was good to see you again, Sami, and nice to meet you, Charlie.”

“You too.”

“Take care, Chief.”

“Well boss," Charlie said after Chief had left, "you’ve got your stick, now what?”

“Now I say we go back to the apartment. We have leftovers from last night.”

“Sounds good to me.” Charlie retrieved their jackets and scarves from the rack as Sami packed his bag to go home. He accidentally passed Sami the wrong scarf so Sami looped it over Charlie’s head and used it to pull him closer for a kiss, smiling as Charlie pretended to look annoyed.

They looped arms for the walk home, sharing body their body heat to stay warm. Charlie didn’t mind the fall chill but Sami still hadn’t quite gotten used to it despite his years on Broadway so he layered up and stayed close to Charlie. Besides, he liked being close together.

At the apartment, they heated up leftovers and decided to eat on the couch instead of at the table. Charlie had his feet propped up on the coffee table, Sami chose to sit at the opposite end of the couch, body angled so he could rest his own feet atop of Charlie’s knees. They had the radio playing softly in the background, just to give the room a little more ambiance.

The music shifted to a familiar tune, and Sami perked up to listen. It reminded Charlie of a meerkat, and he had to bite back a chuckle.

“Do you remember this song?” Sami asked.

“It sounds kind of familiar but I don’t think I’ve ever played it, so without lyrics it’s hard to be sure.”

“It was playing the night I made dinner for you.”

“Which one?”

“The first one.”

“Oh,” Charlie stopped and listened. “It’s a nice song," he acknowledged.

“It’s a waltz.” Sami turned back to Charlie, a twinkle in his eye.

“Oh no, I see that look.”

“Come on,” Sami took their dishes and put them on the coffee table before swinging his legs off of Charlie and standing. “Dance with me?” He held his hand out.

“Sami, I can’t,” he pleaded.

“I’ll help you.”

Charlie hesitated.

“Charlie, it’s alright, I’ve got you.”

“…okay.”

He stood and they pushed the table out of the way. The song was already winding down so Sami turned off the radio and got the iPod dock. It took him a minute to find the song; Charlie was starting to have second thoughts, but when Sami looked over at him with a soft smile he decided fuck it, might as well enjoy the moment.

Once the song was playing, Sami put Charlie’s left hand on the middle of his back, mirroring the positioning on Charlie.

“Just follow my lead.”

Holding Charlie’s right hand in his left, Sami used it as a way to steer them, moving it with the flow of the music to indicate which way to turn. It took Charlie a second to figure out his footing but soon they were turning in a small circle in the middle of the room. That waltz faded into another, so they kept going. By the middle of the second song, they were turning less than they were just swaying, but neither minded. Sami rested his forehead on Charlie’s, eyes closed, smiling.

“I love you.”

Sami's gently spoken words made Charlie stumble and stop. Sami’s eyes flew open and he pulled back to get a look at Charlie’s face, worried about his reaction.

Charlie wasn’t looking at him. He wasn’t really looking at anything, he was staring at a spot on the floor, tears in his eyes. Sami gently squeezed his hand before letting it go to cup his cheek.

“Charlie, look at me?”

“Sameer,” Charlie closed his eyes tightly, turning his face into Sami’s touch, “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…I’m not…”

“Charlie, whatever it is you can tell me.”

“I just…I can’t give that to you…not right now.”

“Charlie Baird, I promise I will never try to take more than what you are able to give. And if I ever ask too much, please tell me. Ok?”

Charlie nodded, a tear running down his cheek to Sami’s hand. Sami brushed it away and pulled Charlie close again, just resting their foreheads together. In that moment, he wanted more than anything to find every last tear or break in Charlie’s heart and put it back together again, if only to stop him from hurting. But he couldn’t do that, so instead he gently swayed them to the music, holding on tight to the man he loved.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it went from "aww" to "oww" but I'm only mildly sorry
> 
> Song they dance to: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba-UZfPI99g ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba-UZfPI99g)
> 
> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv5QUUlbPwU ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv5QUUlbPwU)


	11. You'll Never Walk Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie has a not so good day, but Sami's got his back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: This chapter will talk about Charlie's past which includes blatant homophobia from multiple people, including his family.
> 
> They are wrong, and their opinions are wrong.

They took it slow, mostly sticking to the routine they’d already fallen into. Sometimes when they went out together they would hold hands while walking or just sitting at the table. Sami didn’t say “I love you” too much because he didn’t want Charlie to feel pressured to say it back. It hurt, he wouldn’t deny that, but he also knew it would mean more when Charlie was ready to say it. He was starting to realize he didn’t know a lot about Charlie’s life before they met, except for the few glimpses he’d been given. It was clear that something had happened to close Charlie off, but what or when remained unknown. Sami was content to wait, to be patient. Building a relationship took time, and he wanted this to last.

Their clients noticed, of course. No one directly commented on it but they all quickly went from relief at the tension being gone, to thinking how sweet it was, to “they just look at each other and I want to gag.”

Broadway is full of romance and romantics but it is an unspoken rule of humanity that whenever someone finds themselves as the third wheel they are significantly less of a romantic than they were before.

It was a good rhythm, steady and consistent, like a waltz. The comparison always made Sami smile, even if he was the only one who knew he’d made it.

He couldn’t have foreseen what came next.

Sami arrived at work first, as was usual when Charlie didn’t spend the night and they didn’t come in together. Shortly after he got to the studio, he got a call from Charlie.

“Good morning, Charlie!”

“Hey boss," he sounded hesitant "I’m going to have to call in sick today.”

Sami quickly switched from happy to concerned, “Is everything alright?”

“I’m just not doing too well right now.”

“Is there something I can do? Do you need me to pick up some medicine for you?”

“……”

“Charlie?” Sami prompted gently, sensing the walls going up around Charlie.

“It’s not something I can take medicine for. I mean it kind of is but…it’s hard to talk about.”

“Is there anything you’d like me to bring you?”

“No, that’s alright.”

Sami waited a moment before asking his next question, not wanting to push too hard, “Can I stop by and see you later?”

“…yeah, I’ll text you the address.”

“Ok, I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.”

“Ok.”

“See you then, Charlie.”

“See ya, Sami.”

After Sami hung up he spent all of fifteen seconds thinking over his next decision before calling their client for the day to cancel. He then spent another thirty seconds trying to make the next decision before calling Etta instead of Steve, since she was most likely to pick up.

“Hello Sameer," Etta said cheerfully, "to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Sami tried to keep his tone even, not wanting to worry her, “Etta, I don’t mean to pry, but I have a question about Charlie, and you’ve known him longer than I have.”

“Is everything alright?”

“He’s called in sick, but I don’t think it’s because of a cold or something.”

“Oh dear.” Something in her tone said she knew what it was.

“I just want to know if there’s something I can do for him.”

“I’m afraid I’m not entirely sure." Etta admitted, "I can’t tell you a lot because it’s not my place to tell, and actually Steve has dealt with this more than I have, but I haven’t heard from him in over a month.”

“Is that normal for him?”

“No.”

Sami sighed, “I can only deal with one emergency at a time.”

“Well there’s nothing you can do about Steve so you might as well just focus on Charlie. Are you going to see him?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Bring tea, obviously, bring biscuits, I’ll text you the address with the best ones, and Sameer?”

“Yes?”

“Give him a big hug from me. If you need anything, I’m just a call away.”

“Bless you, Etta.”

Sami arrived at Charlie’s apartment about an hour later, after stopping in various places to get the necessary supplies. He’d gotten buzzed in which meant that Charlie was up and moving but there had been no verbal response on the intercom. Now he stood outside Charlie’s door, wondering if he was pushing it. Yes, Charlie had given him permission to stop by but he probably thought Sami would show up that afternoon, not right now.

Sami knocked and heard Charlie tell him to come in.

The apartment was small but somewhat spartan, keeping it from being cramped. It had only the basic necessary furniture, including a small dining table with only two chairs. There didn’t seem to be any personality in there. Charlie was lying on the couch on his side, wrapped in a dark blue knitted blanket. He didn’t move when Sami came in.

Sami walked over to the coffee table in front of the couch and sat down on it where Charlie could see him, putting his grocery bags on the floor.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Charlie didn't make eye contact.

“You don’t have to talk about it," Sami said carefully, "but I’m here if you want to.”

“Ok.”

“For now,” Sami reached into one of his bags, “I come bearing tea and cookies. Sorry, ‘biscuits.’ I found the jam ones you like. Are you up for eating?”

“Yeah. Sami?” Charlie said as Sami stood up.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Sami ran his hand through Charlie’s hair and kissed him on the forehead.

Once the tea had been brewed, Sami nudged Charlie to sit up so he could drink it. He was going to sit in a chair to the side, give Charlie some space, but Charlie grabbed his hand as he started to turn away. Sami lifted the blanket to sit down next to Charlie, tucking it around their legs. For a few minutes, they sat quietly, dipping the biscuits in their tea.

“It doesn’t happen as much as it used to,” Charlie broke the silence, looking down at his mug. “Just every now and then. What do you know about the night Steve and Etta and I met?”

“I know they got you out of a bar fight.”

“They did a lot more than that.” He sighed and sat forward, elbows resting on his knees, “I was in a bad spot after I left the army. I had nightmares about the things I’d seen, I couldn’t walk around town because I was always looking for enemies; I was on the verge of something really bad. I couldn’t go home, and I didn’t feel like I could talk to any of my old friends because they were all dealing with their own problems. That night, alone in London, I’d gone out to try and drown my demons. Just my luck, I happened to run into someone from my hometown.” Charlie had a dark look in his eyes, Sami guessed he meant bad luck. “A fucking miracle really, given how far we were from Elginshire.

“He started spouting off all kinds of things about me, just insult after insult. None of it’s really worth repeating. I just sat there and let him spew, didn’t see a point trying to respond. Then he said something about me being such a failure of a man that the army turned me queer instead of straightening me out. And my smart mouth replied ‘That's funny, I could've sworn I was queer when I buggered your brother.’ I guess he took offense to that because next thing I knew he had me up against a wall, ready to pummel my brains out. I didn’t catch a lot of what he said at first, and then he started insulting his brother.

“I knew that kid growing up, I’m pretty sure we were the only two queer kids in town. We stuck together, we had to. We didn’t really date or anything, I don’t think we would’ve even if it had been safe, but we were close. He was probably the nicest person I’d ever known. When we were seventeen his parents found out he’d been talking to a gay support group and threatened to send him away to get “treated.” He ran away a few months later. After that, suspicion turned on me. I stuck it out until I was eighteen, then enlisted and got the hell out of there. I never found out if he made it or not.”

Charlie ran his hand over his face, wiping away tears before continuing.

“When I heard that idiot start running his mouth about that poor kid, I lost it. But I was too far gone to really do anything about it. Luckily, Etta and Steve were there. They took me to a quiet place where they knew the owner and could get a decent cuppa. The whole story just came out, everything about how my father threatened to disown me if I were gay, or if I tried to become a musician, about what that had happened during and after I served, about why I was in that bar. They sat there and listened to the whole thing, then took me back to the place they were staying at. In the morning, they gave me the name of a therapist who worked specially with PTSD victims, and both of their contact information."

"Wait," confusion broke through Sami's shock, "weren't your mother and grandfather musicians?"

"They played, but never to make a living. My father said I'd never be able to support myself if I tried, and that he wouldn't support me either. I think he was more afraid of anymore 'gay exposure' from the arts than my financial stability."

"I'm sorry." Sami didn't know what else to say.

“Aye, it's all passed now. I spent two years in therapy there before moving out here on a whim. Then I found another therapist and started trying to build a life. I picked up odd jobs with anyone who would take me, even for a short-term period. It was easier to do that while I was still having frequent episodes. My last therapy session was almost a year ago, that’s when I started trying to find something permanent." Charlie laughed a little, "And then Steven bloody Trevor calls me and says he has the perfect job. Never mind that I hadn’t played in years.”

“It worked out.” Sami smiled softly.

“Aye, that it did,” Charlie smiled back, “Better than I could have dreamed. Y’know, I think I was a goner the first time I saw you dance.”

“That was the first day we met!”

“I guess I never had a chance, then.”

Sami stared at him, caught been shocked and touched. Charlie chuckled at his expression and sat up to give him a peck on the lips.

“Sami?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

Sami took Charlie’s cup and put it on the coffee table, along with his own, before pulling Charlie in for a kiss. He could feel Charlie smiling, and couldn’t help but smile back.

They talked for a bit more before Charlie went to bed to try and reclaim some of his lost sleep. Sami went out briefly to his own apartment to get a book, and then to the store again to prepare for his new plan. He spent the afternoon in Charlie’s living room, reading and catching up on emails on his phone. Around 5:30 he got to work in the kitchen.

When Charlie emerged from his room, hair in more disarray than usual, he found an entire breakfast-for-dinner waiting for him. He looked at Sami, tearing up again, and silently walked over to wrap him in a hug, burying his face on Sami’s shoulder. Sami held onto him, giving as much strength as he could.

“I love you, Charlie.”

“I love you too.”

Sami held tight before pulling back to look at Charlie, “I have a surprise for you.”

“ _Another_ one?”

Sami grinned, “Do you trust me?”

Charlie snorted, “Did you just quote _Aladdin_?”

“……I think I did.”

Charlie snickered before leaning in and resting his forehead on Sami’s, “You do realize I’m nothing like Jasmine, right?”

“That’s alright, I like you better.”

They got their plates and moved to the living area, resuming their positions on the couch. There was a paused DVD screen on the TV but the image was black so Charlie couldn’t tell what movie it was. Once they had settled in with the blanket over their legs, Sami picked up the remote.

“What are we watching?” Charlie asked.

“Remember when I told you about letting go of musicals while I was at school?”

“Yes?”

“Well there were a few of us in the same position, so for our final year I decided that we should put on our own mediocre musical. We picked The Wizard of Oz.”

“Did you get to be the Tin Man?”

“Almost, but I was the person who could do the Scarecrow’s dance the best, and I love this show enough I wanted to give it the best performance we could.”

“Fair enough. So do I get to see it then?”

“Oui, allons-y.” Sami hit play on the movie.

They watched in silence for a while, letting the overture wash over them. When Sami first appeared on stage, Charlie nudged him a little.

“Didya have a small cast?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you were the Scarecrow, but here you’re the farmhand.”

Sami blinked a few times before picking up the remote and hitting pause, “Have you never seen the show before?” There wasn’t judgment in the question, just confusion.

“I saw the movie a few times when I was a kid but it’s been a while.”

“But you can quote _Aladdin_?”

“So can you." Charlie pointed out, a little defensive; then he took a deep breath and let his guard back down. Sami was safe, he didn't need walls here. "The unit watched it a few times," He admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

“My theater class did as well, for Movie Nights during finals." Sami said, putting a hand on Charlie's knee to reassure him it was alright, "We watched a lot of Disney musicals actually." He nodded at the screen, bringing the conversation back to Charlie's question, "The farmhands _are_ her friends in Oz. It’s symbolic of her never being too far from home or something.”

“Oh. That’s a nice touch.”

“Any other questions, or would you like to continue the movie?”

“Yeah," Charlie grinned, "why’s it called the Emerald City?”

Sami lightly shoved Charlie, trying not to smile, and hit play.

Once the show had finished, Charlie was already half-asleep. Sami gently nudged him awake enough that he could walk blearily down the hall to his room and collapse back into bed. After making sure Charlie was settled in, Sami cleaned up their dinner dishes and made himself comfortable on the couch. Tonight, Charlie wouldn’t be alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2u3dUJoJSg ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2u3dUJoJSg)


	12. People Will Say We're In Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sami and Charlie have some perceptive friends
> 
> And then there's Steve

As Thanksgiving drew closer, they entered a transitional period at work. The shows they had been working on were moving out of pre-production and new shows were coming in. Charlie began carrying his keyboard with him so he could practice the new songs even when he spent the night at Sami’s. More often than not it turned into him playing random showtunes and pop songs and seeing how many Sami could name.

The transitional period also gave Chief the breathing room he needed to have dinner with Charlie and Sami. Etta came along as well, though she warned them that she might get called back to the office at any moment. There had still been no word from Steve, but they tried not to let that worry them too much. They were sure he’d be back by the holiday, he always tried to see the parade.

In the meantime, those that were there gathered in Sami’s dining room for a dinner without the background of a racist holiday that none of them even celebrated. Sami took a leaf out of the table to make  it small enough that they could each sit on their own side without having to shout to be heard.

“Sami,” Etta said as they were eating, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your hair without all of your product in it. It looks good.”

“Thank you. I decided while I was not at work I could afford to let it free.”

“That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask, how did it go with your “difficult” client?”

"A complete turnaround," He said, smiling proudly, "We have even received a Thank You bouquet and tickets to the premiere of the show. The director said she had to talk the cast and crew out of sending us their own bouquet. I look forward to seeing where their career goes from here.”

“There, I told you it would work out." She turned her attention, "Chief, how have you been? I don’t think we’ve talked in ages.”

“Much better now that we are in transition." His smile was calm and relaxed. "I’ve decided I’m going to take some time off from Broadway to go home and spend more time with my family. I’m also going to dedicate more of my time to my jewelry making. My nieces have introduced me to some online shops that I can use.”

“That’s wonderful! Let me know when the shop goes up, I can think of several people from the office who would love your designs. I get compliments on the bracelet you made me every time I wear it. What about you, Charlie, how are you?”

“I’m doing very well, Etta." Charlie grinned, "Have I shown you my nephew yet?”

“No! I didn’t know you were an uncle, when was he born?”

“About three months ago.” Charlie patted his pockets for his phone.

“It’s next to the stove,” Sami said.

“Thanks,” Charlie got up to get it, putting his hand on Sami’s shoulder as he passed by. Etta glanced at Chief who met her eye and gave her the facial expression equivalent of a shrug. “There he is, baby Grant.” Charlie passed the phone to Etta and Chief.

“Oh he is precious! And such big eyes!”

“Does he sleep well at night?” Chief asked.

“Well, no, but he sleeps very well during the day apparently. Maggie was the same way when she was little, this is probably parental karma.”

“My parents have warned me that my children will have more energy than me and probably drain whatever I have left for their own use.” Sami said.

“Can’t imagine where they’d get that idea,” Charlie grinned cheekily at Sami who looked less bothered than fondly annoyed. Etta and Chief exchanged another look, this one acknowledging that they were both seeing the same thing. At one point while Sami was taking their dishes to the kitchen and Charlie was helping, Etta spotted Charlie’s keyboard case by the door and silently signaled Chief. They both turned towards the kitchen where Charlie and Sami were talking quietly at the sink. Sami had his back to them but whatever he’d said made Charlie smile.

Etta leaned closer to Chief, “Have they said anything to you?”

“Nothing.”

“Do you think they know?”

“I can’t tell. Should we say something?”

“I’m not sure." She glanced at them again, "I say we wait for now until we have a better idea.”

Chief nodded, “Agreed.”

The next week was Thanksgiving, and sure enough Steve made it back into town in time for the parade. But he had a surprise for his friends. He called everyone and told them to meet at his place for dinner Friday night, no explanation.

“Steven lad!” Charlie shouted when he and Sami arrived, “Lang may yer lum reek, where’ve ya been?”

“We were started to get worried about you,” Sami added.

“Good to see you two too.” Steve gave both of them a hug, grinning widely. “Etta and Chief are on their way, why don’t you guys make yourselves at home, drinks?”

“We brought our own,” Sami held up a bottle of wine, “Welcome home, and Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Thank you, Sami. Nice hair by the way, it’s a different look on you. Can I open this now or should we wait for dinner?”

“It’s your wine, you decide.”

“Two glasses coming right up then.”

Sami and Charlie settled in on the couch. When Steve came back with the drinks, Etta arrived, letting herself in and immediately marching over to Steve. He barely had time to give the other men their wine before she had him wrapped in a tight hug.

“Don’t you ever do that again, I was getting worried about you.”

“Sorry Etta," Steve put his arms around her, "good to see you too.”

“Hello boys.”

“Hello Etta.”

“Hello lass.”

It was not long after that Chief arrived as well, greeting Steve and the others heartily. Steve checked the time and told them dinner would be ready shortly.

“But what about this surprise you mentioned?” Charlie asked.

“Are you going to tell us anything or just leave us in suspense?” Sami added.

“Soon guys, soon. Before dinner, I promise.”

At that moment there was another knock on the door. Sami, Charlie, Etta, and Chief looked at each other in question. As far as they could tell, no one was missing from their usual group.

“That surprise you mentioned, Steve?” Sami asked. He got a grin in response as Steve crossed to the door.

“Hi, come on in,” Steve stepped back to allow a tall, dark haired woman to enter. She smiled at them all, nodding in greeting. “Everyone, meet Diana Themyscira. Diana, this is Etta, Charlie, Sami, and Chief.”

“It is nice to meet you all.”

Etta was the first to recover, getting up from her chair to greet Diana, “Hello! Welcome! So nice to meet you too.”

Steve took her coat and gestured her towards the living room. The look on his face was so smitten everyone had to resist the urge to roll their eyes. Everyone else greeted Diana as well, Charlie and Chief shaking her hand, Sami greeting her in French or Italian and giving her the double European cheek kiss.

Dinner was ready so they adjourned to the dining room before anyone could ask questions. Steve had a round table in his apartment so everyone could talk to each other easily. Diana sat to his left, Chief to hers, Etta to his, and then Sami and Charlie.

Sami was the first to turn towards Diana once they’d settled in and fixed their plates, “So Diana, is Themyscira a family name?”

“Yes, I grew up on a small island off the coast of Greece.”

“Is that where you two met?”

“Sort of,” She smiled at Steve and the look on her face was almost more smitten than his. “He had a boating accident in our reef, I pulled him from the water.”

“You saved my life.”

“I think that calls for a toast,” Etta held up her glass, “To Diana, for bringing Steve home safely.”

“To Diana.” Everyone else raised their glasses. Steve took Diana’s hand and kissed her knuckles, earning him a smile that made her eyes crinkle at the corner.

Sami looked over at Charlie and smiled, taking his hand under the table and squeezing.

The seating arrangement did not remain permanent as Sami and Diana moved so they could more easily converse in whatever language they had chosen at that moment. Occasionally Sami would accidentally say something not in English to Charlie, making him smile and shake his head. Etta and Chief found themselves discussing politics and history, leaving Steve and Charlie to sort themselves out. They got into debates over everything from football v. rugby to tea v. coffee.

“Steven, lad, I’m not saying you’re an idiot I’m just saying your ass is higher than your ears.”

“Look tea is fine and all but coffee is clearly superior.”

“Awa' an bile yer heid. Sami,” he immediately got the other’s attention, “Tea or coffee?”

Sami responded without hesitation, “Arabic coffee, otherwise tea.”

Charlie gestured, “Y’see?”

“He still said coffee.”

“I said _Arabic_ coffee," Sami pointed out, "which is very different and vastly superior to the pathetic excuse for a drink that you get.”

“Oh come on.” Steve protested.

“I have to agree,” Etta jumped in, “Tea all the way.”

“Seconded,” Chief added.

“Diana, what about you?” Sami asked.

“Personally, I prefer coffee, but I will choose tea over whatever it is Steve claims is coffee.”

“I think you’ve lost,” Charlie told him.

“Thanks, I kinda got that. Don’t you drink black coffee too though?”

“Only when I was desperate for caffeine, and not since Sami threatened to lock me out of the studio if I ever tried to bring it in again.”

“ومع ذلك ما زلت أحبك” Sami replied. Charlie gave him a confused but fond look that Steve couldn’t see but Diana could.

“Well on that note I think it’s time to move to the living room for dessert.” Steve stood, pulling Diana’s chair back for her. “Go ahead and leave the dishes, I’ll clean them up later.”

Sami and Charlie reclaimed the couch, scooting over so that Etta could sit next to them. It was a little cramped, but no one minded. Chief and Diana sat in the armchairs, near Etta, striking up a new global issues discussion. When Steve came back out with the pie he pulled a chair from the dining table over and turned it around so he could straddle it, sitting close to Diana but far enough back that he wasn’t intruding on the conversation. He and Sami and Charlie would occasionally jump in with a point or two but for the most part sat back and listened.

After a while, Steve decided to go clear the table and start cleaning up the kitchen. Sami and Charlie volunteered to help, since they weren’t actively participating in the discussion.

Diana watched them go, turning to Etta and Chief after they were out of earshot, “Have Sami and Charlie been together long?”

“We’re not sure,” Etta told her, “we haven’t spent a lot of time with them lately, but they definitely seem closer than when they first started working together.”

“And a number of their clients have talked about the changes in their interactions.”

Diana smiled, “They look at each other the same way my Aunt Menalippe looks at my Aunt Antiope.”

“Our plan for now has been to just wait and watch,” Etta explained, “because if they’re not together it’s becoming very clear that they should be.”

“Is there any reason that they can’t?” Diana tilted her head.

“They can’t get married in the state," Chief told her, "but New York City is more accepting of these kinds of things than some places, and everyone in our group is fine with it.”

“Then what would be holding them back?”

Etta shrugged, “Inability to openly communicate and express feelings of intimacy? It’s not an uncommon trait among most men, though that’s more a societal problem than the fault of any individual.” She rolled her eyes and gave a long-suffering sigh.

“In any case, it’s not our place to try to interfere in their personal lives." Chief reasoned. "If they are together, they can tell us when they are ready; if they’re not, they deserve time to get there on their own.”

“I completely agree, Chief.”

“And if they do not get there on their own?”

“That, Diana, is when we start meddling." Etta grinned. "Only a little though. After all, what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t?”

The three of them clinked glasses, satisfied in their conspiring. By the time Steve, Sami, and Charlie returned, they’d fallen back into their previous conversation.

Since Steve was planning on being in town for a little while, he started making lunch plans with everybody so they could catch up and hang out. He and Diana apparently had some touristy plans, he wanted to show her the city, so scheduling got a bit weird but no one was in any rush. When Steve asked what shows were playing, Sami and Charlie went back and forth listing some of the shows they'd worked on, trying to figure out which on to recommend. Upon reaching no conclusion, they gave him a list of three and said he could figure it out from there.

They played a few card games, drank more wine, and then all left for the night. It didn’t escape Etta, Diana, or Chief’s notice that Sami and Charlie left together, nor did it escape anyone’s notice that Diana was staying at Steve’s.

When Steve met up with Charlie for lunch, he found himself staring at the Scotsman. Not that Charlie noticed, Steve was very good at making sure people couldn’t tell when he was observing them. There was something different, something obvious that he couldn’t quite see. Yes, Charlie had changed since working for Sami, doing better than Steve had ever seen him, but today there was something specific that was different.

They sat and chatted for a while, passing the time with casual discussion, and Steve let his mind drift, hoping the less he tried to figure it out the sooner it would come to him. It was like doing a word search: you always find the word you want after you’ve started looking for another one.

“Charlie,” Steve said, interrupting the silence they’d fallen into.

“Hm?” Charlie raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of tea.

“Is that…Sami’s scarf?”

Charlie looked down at the scarf that was still around his neck, “Huh, I suppose it is. Must’ve accidentally grabbed his when I left. It all hangs pretty close together.”

When Steve met up with Sami, the difference was more obvious, though it's significance still evaded him.

“Is that a new sweater, Sami?”

“I borrowed it from Charlie." Sami shrugged, "His are better prepared for dealing with the cold.”

“Still not adjusted?”

“I am a Moroccan at heart, and the lights of Broadway are not cold.”

“Okay Sami.” Steve hid his smirk behind his glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arabic translation: However, I still love you  
> Diana did understand what Sami said but decided to respect their privacy
> 
> I know it's a little rushed at the end but I wanted to keep Steve's observations with the others' rather than try to finagle some weird chapter stuff 
> 
> Also Diana and Steve are so in love it's distracting; not only to me but apparently also to Steve
> 
> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS0NPYH_pGw ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS0NPYH_pGw)


	13. Something Wonderful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When everyone is unexpectedly brought together again, the truth comes out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That may or may not be a pun in the summary

Two weeks later, in the midst of holiday madness, Charlie and Sami received an urgent call from Etta.

“Steve’s in the hospital," Was the only greeting they got, "there was gas and a fire and he got hurt. I’m here now but I need you to come take care of Diana.” She rattled off the name of the hospital and the boys were out the door, making hurried apologies to their current client. Sami didn’t even bother to change into his street clothes, just pulled Charlie’s sweater on over his shirt.

They burst into the waiting room and immediately spotted Diana. When she turned to them, both had to fight the urge to step back. She didn’t look upset, she looked pissed.

Charlie approached her first, “Diana? What’s going on?”

She let out a frustrated sigh, trying to calm herself down, “They will not let me see Steve because I’m not married to him, related to him, or on his emergency contacts list, Thankfully, Etta is his emergency contact so _someone_ is back there with him.”

Charlie held his hands up in an apologetic gesture, “That’s pretty standard hospital procedure.”

“But it’s not even that big of an emergency!”

“Diana,” Sami stepped forward, “Why don’t we sit down and let the nurses do their job.”

“I know it’s not their fault that the policies are what they are, but it is very frustrating.” Diana sat down with a sigh.

“Aye, now would’ya mind telling us what’s going on here? Etta said something about gas and _fire_?”

“He was trying to light the fireplace and accidentally left the gas on." She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. "So when he finally got a spark, there was a large whoosh of fire. Thankfully, he was not seriously hurt. A significant amount of skin was burned but it's all superficial. He was more worried about his eyebrows and hair than anything.”

“He would be,” Sami rolled his eyes. “That man needs to stop scaring us.”

“Aye. I’m going to see if there’s anything other than not-coffee, do you two want anything?”

“I’ll take whatever you can find.” Sami said.

“I’m fine, thank you Charlie.”

Charlie returned with two barely-over-room-temperature hot chocolates from an automatic coffee maker that looked more like a vending machine. Chief arrived a few minutes later and they told him the same story. They waited until Etta came out to tell them that Steve was fine and she was going to start checking him out if they wanted to go visit. It was silently agreed that Diana would be allowed to go first and tell him how much of an idiot he was in private before the rest of them made fun of him publicly like the good friends they were. Charlie had a thought that made him snicker a little but wouldn’t tell them what, just said they’d find out soon.

When Diana returned with Steve, his right sleeve was significantly shorter than his left, presumably cut off by the doctors. His right arm was wrapped and in a sling, and there was a sheepish look on his face.

Charlie turned to him with a wide grin and said “If it isn’t Steven Rockwell Perfect Hair! Glad to see your eyebrows made it, laddie."

Sami and Etta tried not to crack up as Steve groaned and put his good hand over his face, “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Not till the wind whistles o’er the burn.”

“Ok now I _know_ you’re messing with me.” Steve gave Charlie a half-hearted glare.

“‘Burn’ means river,” Sami said.

“…he’s still messing with me,” Steve insisted.

“You’ll never know.” Charlie clapped him on the left shoulder. “Since we’re all here, Sami and I have something we’d like to announce.”

“Have you finally confessed your feelings for each other?” Diana asked.

“That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you two!” Etta gave them both big hugs before they could respond.

“Wait, what?” Steve looked back and forth between everyone.

Sami gave them an equally confused look, “We’ve been together almost two months.”

“Wait what?” This time it was Etta.

“Did we not tell you?” Sami's eyes got wide.

“You certainly did not,” Etta informed him, hands on her hips as she tried not to let a smile slip past her annoyance.

“We weren’t tryin’ to hide it or anything,” Charlie said, “It just happened, and I guess we forgot to say anything.”

“Well now we know that they were together before Thanksgiving,” Chief pointed out, turning to Etta and Diana.

“Hang on,” Steve held up a hand, he had been silently trying to process everything, “You all knew?”

“You didn’t?” Diana asked, “It seemed obvious enough.”

“We didn’t know for sure,” Chief told him, “But we had our suspicions.”

“Wait, is that why you had his scarf? And why he’s wearing your sweater again?” The realization finally broke through on Steve’s face. “Holy shit. I mean congrats and everything but wow. Two months? Really?”

“Really,” Sami smiled and shook his head. “Anyways, as we were saying, we’re thinking about having a small dinner party next week, before everyone goes away for the holiday. You are all invited, of course.”

“I can’t wait! I’m going to make my holiday biscuits. Steve, don’t forget to fill that prescription. See you all later!” Etta pulled her coat on and waved goodbye.

“I should be getting back to work. I am free all of next week so whenever you decide to have the party, I will be there.” Chief took his leave as well.

Diana turned to Steve, “We should go fill that prescription, then go home and find a way to warm up without a fire.”

“I can think of a few ideas.”

“We’ll see.” She helped him get his coat on and looped her arm through his good one, “Come on, Mr. Perfect Hair.”

Steve turned to Charlie, “I hate you.”

“You did it to yourself. See you next week?”

“Yeah we’ll be there.” As they were walking out he gave them another baffled look, “Two months? _Really_?”

“To be fair, you weren’t here for most of that.”

“That’s true,” Sami agreed, “Last time we’d seen you we were not yet together.”

“I’m glad you found happiness together,” Diana told them, hailing a cab as they reached the curb, “I look forward to seeing you both next week. Provided Steve does not injure himself again.”

“Hey!”

They got into the cab and left, leaving Sami and Charlie on the sidewalk.

“I can’t believe we forgot to say anything,” Charlie said as they hailed a cab of their own.

“I can’t believe Diana figured it out before Steve. Although he has been a bit _preoccupied_ lately.”

Charlie snorted, “That’s an understatement. So what do we do now?”

“Well, now that the ‘emergency’ has been taken care of, why don’t we see if we can recover some of our work day?”

“Sounds good, boss.” They slid into the cab, Charlie pressing close to Sami, and gave the cabbie the studio address.

“And afterwards, we can pick up m’hancha. I think we deserve something nice after what we just got put through.”

“Maybe we should get you an ugly Christmas sweater while we’re out.” Charlie tugged on Sami’s sleeve teasingly.

“But then I won’t have an excuse to wear yours.”

Charlie rolled his eyes fondly, “Can you at least stop putting them on after you do your hair? The pomade gets all over the collar.”

“Of course, sorry.” Sami gave Charlie a kiss, wrapping their arms together and squeezing Charlie's hand.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes that was a Star Trek reference, yes that is Steve's canon middle name (from the comics), no I'm not sorry if I scared you with the gas and fire but to be fair it says No Warnings Apply
> 
> Chapter Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Mq-YuCVyE ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Mq-YuCVyE)


	14. This Year I’m Not Alone at Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celebrating the Yuletide together

The party was a beautiful, quiet affair. Sami and Charlie had set up a tree in the corner (fake, much to Charlie’s chagrin) with multi-colored lights and a mismatch of homemade and store-bought ornaments. Etta not only brought her holiday biscuits, but she also had a personal tin of fudge for everybody. Chief brought roasted chestnuts with a cinnamon-sugar coating. Steve and Diana brought a mulled wine, in a crockpot to keep it warm. It had been decided that they wouldn’t do a gift exchange at the party, instead opting to have everyone bring a food item. It had been planned out not so much as a meal but as a presentation of food platters in the living room, avoiding the formality of sitting down to a dinner. Charlie had invited Sami to spend Christmas with him and his sisters, and assured him that there would be plenty of actual dinners.

Charlie pulled out his keyboard and led them in a round of carols. Not everyone knew them all by heart and he only had one music book so they all ended up gathered around the keyboard. Luckily, they had a small piano bench so Sami could sit on Charlie’s right with the others standing behind them.

Looking at Charlie, the way his face lit up as he sang, Sami found himself swept away by the magic of the evening. Christmas was one of the things he’d easily adapted to in the US. Not just the increased hustle and bustle of the city, but the cheer of those who held it in their hearts truly. He felt sorry for the people who got lost in the commercialization, or fired up about the “war on Christmas” that didn’t exist. The whole point was to get together with your loved ones to eat, drink, be merry, and extend a hand to those who were in need. Whether you were religious or not, surely everyone could agree on that.

When the snow started falling, the first of the season, Diana led them all outside and stood in the middle of the sidewalk, arms outstretched as she turned her grinning face up to the sky. Charlie started quietly humming _White Christmas_ , linking arms with Sami to lend him his warmth. They watched Steve take Diana’s hand and dance with her amidst the flakes. It quickly got too cold to stay outside, but it was also getting late, so the guests started taking their leave.

Soon, Charlie and Sami were alone in the apartment. In a burst of will power, they put away the food and plates before settling onto the couch under a blanket to watch the Yule log on the TV. Charlie was tucked into the corner of the couch, arm wrapped around Sami who was pressed up against him.

“Charlie?”

“Hm?”

“I have something for you.” Sami got up from the couch and walked into the main bedroom, the one he now sometimes shared with Charlie. He pulled a small navy blue box out of one of the newly emptied drawers in the dresser. When he sat back down on the couch, he faced Charlie, one leg tucked under himself. The box he handed Charlie was about palm-sized, its only wrappings a small green bow on top.

“What’s this?” Charlie looked down at the box, caught between confused and happily surprised.

“Open it.”

Charlie took the top off, pulling out a key on a red ribbon. “Sami, is this-?”

“A key to the apartment." Sami smiled at him, "And half the dresser is yours, if you want it.”

“I-“ He smiled at Sami, tears in his eyes, “yes.” He dropped the key into his palm, holding tight like he was afraid it would disappear. Sami put a hand on his cheek, brushing away one of the tears, and Charlie leaned into the touch. “I have something for you too.”

He stood and held his free hand out to Sami, pulling him up from the couch. They walked back over to the keyboard and sat down on the bench in their previous position. Charlie gave Sami’s hand a squeeze before releasing it and, after hanging the key on the music stand, starting to play.

“ _I'll walk beside you through the world today_

_While dreams and songs and flowers bless your way_

_I'll look into your eyes and hold your hand_

_I'll walk beside you through the golden land_

_-_

_I'll walk beside you through the world tonight_

_Beneath the starry skies ablaze with light_

_Within your soul love's tender words I'll hide_

_I'll walk beside you through the eventide_

_I'll walk beside you through the passing years_

_Through days of cloud and sunshine, joy and tears_

_And when the great call comes, the sunset gleams_

_I'll walk beside you to the land of dreams_

_I'll walk beside you through the world today_

_While dreams and songs and flowers bless your way_

_I'll look into your eyes and hold your hand_

_I'll walk beside you to the golden land_ ”

Charlie had started crying again, and his voice shook on the last verse. When he stopped playing, Sami took his hand and squeezed gently, blinking back some tears of his own.

“It’s a beautiful song.”

“Aye. My grandad used to play it for my grandma.” Charlie pushed up the sleeve on his right arm, revealing the tattoo. “I got the poppy done after he died, and added the thistle for her and the music note for both of them. She always encouraged me to pursue music, but Da told me not to waste my time on foolish dreams. Ma never said anything, but she was always on Da's side. I haven’t talked to them in years, not since I told him I was gay and he could shove it. My sisters also told him to shove it. Last I heard he still wasn’t interested in talking to me, so he will not be at Christmas dinner.”

Sami held Charlie’s hand close to his heart, rubbing it with his thumb, “Well, I’m glad I got to be a part of your foolish dream.”

“Sami, you _are_ the foolish dream. I didn’t think I would ever be lucky enough to be where I am now, but I am.” Charlie took the hand he was still holding and pressed it to his lips. “Thank you, Sameer.”

“I love you, Charlie.”

“I love you too.”

As the snow continued to fall silently outside, and their tree twinkled in the corner, Charlie pulled Sami in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this for your time and patience!
> 
> All chapter titles were found [here](http://www.rnh.com/songs_all.html) which means theoretically they're all songs but I couldn't find links for all of them, and the lyrics didn't always match the theme of the chapter.
> 
> Fic Title Song: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q3x1t9JdBM ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q3x1t9JdBM)


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